


The Spirit Trail

by Debi_C



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Native American Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-12
Updated: 2012-03-12
Packaged: 2017-11-01 20:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 32,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/360755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Debi_C/pseuds/Debi_C
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SG1 finds Native Americans</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Spirit Trail

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: I am not an anthropologist, archeologist and only an amateur historian. References to the Anasazi Indians are based on personal research and may contain inadequate or erroneous information. I apologies for any incorrect information that this story may contain or if that information causes any offense to any of the readers.

Chapter 1 

Team SG-1 disembarked from the granite platform of the Stargate on  
Planet 3P42753. Colonel Jack O'Neill pulled off his wrap-around  
sunglasses and squinted up through the bright sunlight at roughly formed  
sides of the huge canyon that they had arrived in. It looked as if they  
had stepped off into one end of Monument Valley where all good cowboy  
movies had been made in the 40's. It was beautiful, not a tree in  
sight.

The rest of his team seems to be suitably impressed also. Daniel  
Jackson was circling with his compass in hand trying to determine true  
north so that he could find the pueblo-like, cliff dwellings that the  
MALP telemetry had discovered. Major Samantha Carter and Teal'c were  
already in their guard positions, with weapons up and eyes scanning the  
rocky niches where anyone (or thing) could be deciding to make them the  
evening meal or not.

Finally, Daniel glanced from his instrument on point like a good bird  
dog and looked back at O'Neill. "I think it's this way, Jack. That is,  
if true north here is the same as on earth."

O'Neill looked from him to his female Second in Command. "Carter, is  
it?"

The tall, attractive blond smiled over at her fellow scientist. "Yea,  
Daniel, it is. You're heading the right direction."

Jack O'Neill slid his glasses back up on his nose and stepped out to the  
front of the team, and in his best John Wayne imitation spoke. "Come  
on, Pilgrims. We're burning daylight."

Teal'c, the ex-Jaffa Warrior, looked confused for just a second, then  
recognition lightened his dark features. "Oh yes. The Duke. Cowboy  
movies."

Jack turned back and smiled at him over the shades. "You got it,  
pilgrim. Forward ho!" And led off with a good brisk pace. Jackson  
following behind still concentrating on his compass.

Seeing Maj. Carter smiling over at him, Teal'c nodded at her. "Colonel  
O'Neill has been showing me movies of your American West. They are  
great cultural icons of your society."

She smiled at the big man as they started off after their two teammates.  
"That's very true, Teal'c, especially of small boys and military types." 

*******************

After about thirty minutes into their trek through the fantastic spires  
of the Canyon, Maj. Carter peered up at the cliffs that had been  
overshadowing their journey. "Do you see any sign of recent visitors?"  
She asked nervously.

"No, Major Carter. I have not, but...."

"I know what you mean, it almost feels like we're being watched." She  
called out to their team-leader. "Colonel?"

O'Neill was several yards ahead of her, was using a weather eye out for  
any thing unusual while keeping track of Jackson with the other. "What  
Carter?"

"Sir, I feel like we're being watched. I can't explain it; I don't see  
anyone..."

"Yea, I know. I feel it too." He glanced up around the towering  
cliffs, feeling their vulnerability in this location. "Just keep your  
eyes peeled and let me know if you see anything funny." He scanned the  
rocky formations just ahead of them. "Daniel, how far away were those  
ruins?"

Jackson looked over at his team leader. "Ah, about three miles up this  
valley, Jack. They're supposed to be up and under the cliff tops, like  
the old pueblo ruins in the South Western United States, built into the  
side of the mountains."

"Pueblos, Daniel?" O'Neill asked, interested now with a point of  
reference.

"Well, actually, I believe they may be related to the Anasazi Indians.  
They disappeared from the Southwest before the Conquistadors invaded the  
New World from Spain. All that's ever been found of them were their  
ruins, pictographs, some pottery, and jewelry."

"That sounds suspicious all right." O'Neill agreed, guardedly. "Were  
they good Indians or bad Indians?"

Daniel sped up to get into step with the older man. "Well, if you mean,  
did John Wayne ever fight them...then no, they were gone by then."

"No, Daniel." O'Neill replied patiently. "I know that John Wayne never  
fought them. I mean if they were gone before Tyrone Power got to Mexico  
in The Captain From Castile, then ...well, the Duke was too late wasn't  
he?"

"Yea, sure Jack." Jackson shook his head slightly lost trying to follow  
his friend's movie theme analogy. "Uh, as I was saying, they were  
primarily agricultural by nature, transitioning from the more  
traditional hunter/gatherer lifestyle to planting maize, potatoes,  
gourds and still relying on the gathering of wild berries, roots..."

"Daniel!"

"Good Indians, Jack." Jackson pushed his wire-framed glasses back up  
his nose and smiled at him.

"Thank you." Jack commented haughtily looking over at his friend and  
teammate. "Cause we just found your Pueblo dwellings." He indicated  
some shadowed buildings above them in the cliff tops. Jackson stepped  
back, tilting his head to see where O'Neill had pointed. Then the  
officer stepped up to his friend's side and spoke in a quiet voice.  
"Daniel, are you sure there were no signs of life in these ruins?"

"Well, yea Jack. That's why we called them ruins. Otherwise it would  
be a village." He had located the buildings and was looking at the huge  
rugged pillars of granite in front of them and up into the structures in  
the cliff. "Why?"

O'Neill signaled to Carter and Teal'c who took formation on either side  
of their commander and the archeologist. He pulled off his sunglasses  
and pointed his M50 towards a rock formation that was off to the left of  
them. "Cause it looks like we found the missing Anasazi Indians too."

Four dark skinned males came down from the huge rock formation that had  
been their viewing area they had been watching SG1 from. Obviously of  
American Indian descent and ranging in age from thirty to possibly forty  
years of age, they were clad in leather breechclouts; leggings and  
fringed shirts complete with thin soled moccasin shoes. The men had the  
typical high foreheads, broad faces; long black hair tied back in  
several different fashions. One had painted his face red with  
patterning of black and yellow dots leaving only his eyes and mouth free  
of the color. Two of the men were carrying single spears tipped with  
stone points; the fourth man had two.

Daniel stepped forward in his role of communicator, extending his empty  
hands out in front of him. "My name is Daniel Jackson. We're peaceful  
travelers from another place."

The male with the painted face stepped forward and responded in a  
language that was not one of Jackson's twenty-three known varieties.  
Daniel never one to give up easily tried again. Pointing to his chest  
he said "Daniel"

The other man replied. "Dan-yel." 

"Hable Espanol?" Daniel tried a few more languages. No response to his  
attempts at Latin, old English, Egyptian, Hebrew and Abydonian. Well,  
time to start working on learning number twenty-four.

Jack looked at his favorite archeologist/linguist patiently. Daniel  
shook his head. "I can't seem to find a common language. I'll have to  
start from scratch." He looked at Teal'c for any sign of the big man  
having any familiarity with the dialect.

"No, Danieljackson. I do not recognize their language either." His  
teammate responded to his questioning expression.

When Teal'c spoke up, the largest 'Indian', the one carrying the two  
weapons, stepped forward to the side of his speaker. He talked urgently  
to the younger man, pointing at Teal'c and pantomiming to his own  
forehead. He didn't sound happy.

"What's up Daniel?" Jack watched the preceding action suspiciously. 

Daniel looked back to see what the Indian had alerted on. "Well, I  
would guess that they have seen Jaffas before. They may not have good  
memories of them." He turned back to the spokesman. "No, Jaffa.  
Friend." Jackson motioned the four of SG1 in a group. "Friend! We're  
all friends!"

Unimpressed by the young man's declaration, the other two Indians  
stepped up and around the group, encircling them. The young spokesman  
with the painted face spoke quickly to his older comrade then motioned  
for SG1 to follow him and turned and walked back the direction that the  
Indians had come from. The big Indian brought up the rear behind the  
other two men.

The SG Team followed their new 'host' with the escort bringing up the  
rear. "Well, Daniel, suggestions?" O'Neill asked quietly as they  
accompanied the Indians around the rock formation and further down into  
the valley.

Jackson looked at O'Neill and shrugged. "They haven't been hostile.  
We're being taken to their home. What more do we want?"

"I want Tonto here to put down his weapons and smoke the peace pipe."  
O'Neill looked over his shoulder at the large warrior behind Teal'c and  
Carter. 

"Jack, we're probably the first non Goa'uld they've seen since they left  
Earth. They're just being cautious."

Teal'c spoke slowly and in a low tone so as to not cause any alarm on  
the part of their escorts. "They have not threatened me, O'Neill. He  
has just recognized me as a possible danger. I understand his caution."

O'Neill sighed. "OK, I just hope he's careful. I'd hate to be the  
victim of a misunderstanding."

*******************

After an hour's hike, the narrow path started leading upward to a mesa  
formation in the distance. The team could see what appeared to be a  
good-sized village on the tabletop mountain. People were beginning to  
gather at the edge to watch the arrival of their new 'visitors'. Once  
they entered the village proper, Jackson was hard pressed not to visibly  
ping. He turned to O'Neill in his excitement. "Jack, this is  
tremendous. A Stone Age village that has remained virtually untouched.  
It's incredible! This is such an opportunity to study what other people  
can only dream..."

"Calm down, Daniel." Jack hushed the young linguist. "First let's make  
nice and become friends before you want to immerse yourself in the  
culture." O'Neill was still tense and alert, waiting for the other shoe  
to fall on this too good to be true scenario. "Didn't ancient Americans  
practice human sacrifice and such?"

Jackson caught himself up short on that idea. "Well, yea. The Mayans  
and the Incas did, but we have no proof on the Anasazi. Besides there's  
no big temple...." As the group entered the center of the village and  
turned the last corner of what had rapidly become a wide thoroughfare  
from a narrow path, they could see the step sided pyramid shape looming  
in the outskirts of the community.

"Ya, think! Danny, that looks like a temple to me." O'Neill retorted  
as he raised his eyes to look up at the top of the mammoth structure.

"Ah, yea. That would be a temple, okay." Daniel agreed, looking up at  
its peak, watching the evening sun approach the top most point of the  
pyramid.

The team continued walking, finally coming to a stop at a much smaller  
dwelling. Its construction appeared to be of Adobe bricks built up into  
the classic beehive pattern. The doorway was an arched aperture with a  
colorful blanket stretched across its lintel area. 

The man with the painted red face paused before the doorway and  
scratched on the side of the opening. He then said something in a low  
singsong voice then stepped back away from the building. After a few  
minutes an elderly man came out and stood up straight as he cleared the  
short opening. The man stood about 5 ft 9 in tall, just a bit taller  
than Carter. His skin was the color and texture of old well-tanned  
leather. His hair a pure silver white of great age, but his bearing and  
his eyes belied that fact. The old man stepped out with a slow but firm  
stride and approached the four strangers to his village. The painted  
faced man stayed at his elder's side, but the old man ignored his  
presence.

The old 'Chief' as Jack dubbed him in his mind approached the strangers  
fearlessly. He walked up to Jack peering up into the taller man's eyes.  
The elder looked deeply into them; Jack stood his ground returning the  
gaze fully. Then the old chief turned his attention to Daniel Jackson  
who likewise returned his look. But when he noticed that Daniel's blue  
eyes, the old man made a remark to the waiting crowd that had followed,  
surrounding the newcomers. The group comprised of men, women and  
children started talking excitedly among themselves and to their  
escorts. Daniel calmly waited for the elder to return his attention to  
him, then returned gaze for gaze. Samantha Carter, in her turn, also  
caused much commentary, not only for her blue eyes but also for her  
short blond hair. This elicited a touch and stroke, light and tentative  
with trembling hand of the old chief, as if the man was caressing a  
bird. Teal'c also came in for his share of attention. His baldpate was  
stroked and patted by the same gentle hand, and obviously a description  
of the sensation was passed back and forth to the crowd of onlookers.  
The large Indian from the 'welcome party' became very vocal when the  
forehead symbol was examined. But the grandfather quieted him with a  
word. As the elder stepped back from the huge warrior, Teal'c bowed his  
head slightly in regard to the old man. This brought a smile from the  
elder.

After the initial examination was performed the old Chief turned to  
O'Neill as the obvious leader of their group and spoke, in a familiar  
sounding dialect, Goa'uld. "How do you come to us strangers? It has  
been a long time since anyone came from out of the God's Mouth."

O'Neill looked to Daniel who stepped up with excitement. At last,  
communication! "Honored One, we come from out of the God's Mouth as  
peaceful travelers seeking knowledge."

When Daniel started the conversation, the elder's eyes lit up in  
triumph. "Do you come from the false god who has taken the people from  
their true home or do you come as one from the Great Spirit with truth  
on your tongue?"

"We come from the Great Spirit with truth, Grandfather." Daniel smiled  
and nodded at Jack in relief. "We are enemies of the False Gods. We  
come seeking wisdom with which to defeat them."

"Ho, this is a good thing for The People." The old man smiled and  
clapped Daniel on the shoulder. "But you have traveled a long distance  
I think, and a good tale is always told best on a full belly. Come  
tonight and we will eat together, smoke the pipe of truth and tell our  
tales to each other when the Mother Moon is high." The old one looked  
back at O'Neill who was watching the proceeding with interest. "Tell  
your Chief that I am called Grey Badger, because I fight from a hole in  
the ground." The tribe laughed at the elder statesman's comment but  
they quieted at his look. "You are welcome at my fire."

"Thank you Grey Badger. I am Daniel; my chief's name is Jack. I will  
tell him of your kindness to strangers at your fire." He turned to  
O'Neill who was standing, waiting impatiently for Jackson to finish.  
"Jack, this is wonderful. He is the tribal elder. His name means Grey  
Badger in their language. He asked me if we were from the false god or  
the Great Spirit. Jack. These people know that the Goa'ulds are false  
gods already. We may have found allies here."

"Yea, Daniel. Calm down, will ya." O'Neill tried to slow his friend  
down. "We're going way to fast here." When Jackson had stopped and  
taken a deep breath, Jack smiled at him. "So what's the plan so far?"

"Well," Jackson replied, more calmly. "We're invited to stay for the  
evening meal, smoke the pipe of truth and tell him our story."

O'Neill looked back over at the old man and smiled nodding. "Works for  
me. Ask him where we can set up our camp and we'll meet him back for a  
late dinner."

*******************

After Daniel made their needs known to the friendly people of the tribe,  
Painted Face escorted them to a small clearing next to a stream just  
outside the village proper. When their guide noticed that each member  
of the team had their own tent, he remarked to Daniel in a friendly tone  
about Carter being alone. Jack's attention was caught by the interest  
paid to his second in command and looked over at the linguist. "What'd  
he say about Carter?"

Jackson looked back over where O'Neill was pitching his tent next to  
their female teammate. "Well, he is just surprised that you don't share  
your tent with her. He thinks she's your wife."

"What should we tell him, Daniel?" Sam asked the question before her CO  
could. 

Daniel thought a moment. "Either way, I think there's a history of  
special women, medicine women who are powerful spirit figures." He  
glanced over to the patiently waiting man. "He thinks you and I are  
brother and sister because we both have blue eyes, so he's assuming that  
you're Jack's woman, uh wife unless I tell him different."

"You think? Don't you know?" O'Neill demanded of the younger man.

"Jack, I'm an Egyptologist. I'm a little far west of my area of  
expertise." /the archeologist replied. " But yes, I do think I'm  
right."

"OK. Leave it alone for now, Daniel." Jack looked over at Carter then  
back to Jackson. "Don't lie to him outright, but I don't want Carter to  
be open to any compromises here." He smiled in her direction. "Sorry."

She smiled back at her Colonel without saying a word and went back to  
pitching her tent. 

Daniel thought quickly then went for the middle road. "My sister is a  
Medicine Woman, so she comes with us on our journey. She has not  
chosen a man. My chief has great respect for her but she has not  
accepted him yet. So she sleeps alone."

Painted Face seemed satisfied with the answer. "It is good for a woman,  
even a Medicine Woman to be chaste. So as her brother, you are her  
protector?"

Daniel looked over at her, thinking of the times Sam Carter had saved  
his life. "Yes, I am her protector, when she lets me be."

The man smiled back at him. "I understand. I have a wife, a mother, a  
mother-in-law and three daughters living in my house." He laughed then.  
"A strong woman is a blessing from the Great Spirit, but sometimes the  
blessing is hidden."

Daniel laughed along with him. The man turned to leave then stopped.  
"The meal will be held by the fire circle of Grey Badger's lodge with  
the setting sun. It is polite to be early in this clan."

"Thank you. We will be there before the sun goes down."

*******************

Chapter 2

That night at the evening meal, SG1 was feasted as a new ally.  
Obviously the Anasazi knew that there was something momentous about to  
occur. Jackson's questioning about the Tribe's oral history had  
revealed that a 'False God' had come to earth many ages ago and brought  
this small nation of American Indians through a Stargate. Hence the  
pyramid/temple's existence. The Indians soon realized that they had  
made a bad bargain and were successful in defeating and running the  
Goa'ulds off from this new place. However, every so many years, a  
Goa'uld force would enter through the Stargate and try to take back  
their old slaves. Usually, through 'a Vision from the Great Spirit'  
they would be forewarned and could drive the evil intruders back into  
the 'God's Mouth' thus preserving their way of life. It was coming time  
for this to happen again. It had been over twenty winters (two hands  
twice) since the last incursion. And the signs were beginning to be  
indicative of a repetition occurring soon. The Medicine Oaks didn't  
have acorns, the birth of a white Big Hump in the main herd. (American  
bison evidently made the trip with them.) and the women were giving  
birth to more warriors (male babies). All of these things sounded  
pretty circumstantial to O'Neill but as Jackson said. "If it works  
Jack, don't complain". 

And by all appearances it was working. This was a thriving, living  
community of stone age primitives who had by skill, luck and the  
blessing of their Great Spirit managed to not only rebel against a  
superior high tech civilization but to maintain their freedom and re-  
establish a way of life long lost on their home world.

The main tribal leaders and clan members were all identified by names  
that fit their personality and character. Painted Face was easily  
figured out with his scarlet face paint and decorative black and yellow  
dots. Grey Badger had explained his by his fighting style, from an  
easily defensible fortification. The second Chief, or War Leader, was  
his eldest son, Two Spears. He was known by his cautious habit of  
carrying two weapons on a hunt after a wild pig had turned and gored him  
as a teenager. Crow Woman was a Grey Badger's old wife who apparently  
had a fast tongue and not shy to use it but a large heart. Moon Woman,  
his young wife, was a large jovial girl of about twenty-three (and  
obviously pregnant). There were various other descriptive names such as  
One Eye, who described the incident of its loss in great and gory  
detail. Little Bird was Painted Face's toddler daughter who had  
attached herself to O'Neill in a proprietary manner. Young Deer was the  
older teen-aged son of Two Spears who sat quietly and listened to all  
the stories with unabashed interest. 

Conversing with Grey Badger, Painted Face and somewhat with Two Spears  
in an ancient Egyptian (read Goa'uld) dialect, Daniel learned that they  
had also been given call names. O'Neill was 'Grey Chief', Carter was  
called 'Medicine Woman' since it was considered unusual for a woman to  
travel with a hunting party, Daniel was 'Yellow Shaman' due to his fair  
skin and Teal'c was universally called 'Large Warrior or The Really Big  
Guy'. 

After a large meal of roasted meat, squash, corn and some unknown  
variety of fruit, Grey Badger pushed Painted Face to tell the story of  
the tribe's trip here under the guidance of Chief Stupid Nose, so called  
because he couldn't smell the danger to his tribe. How the great  
warrior Big Bear grasped and killed many of the Evil Gods warriors by  
ripping their false heads off and in the process taking their real ones  
too. And the stories of finding some few of their own tribesmen being  
used as skin-walkers by the False Gods. People obviously being used as  
hosts.

SG1's storyteller, Daniel Jackson was up to full linguistic fluency as  
he explained in cultural context of how he and Grey Chief went through  
the God's Mouth in search of knowledge. How they found the Evil Gods  
and other tribes of people suffering their wrath. He briefly touched on  
his staying behind with his new wife and O'Neill returning with the  
great news to their Big Chief. How when the Evil Gods threatened  
O'Neill's tribe and The Big Chief Hammond sent Grey Chief and Medicine  
Woman back to get the knowledge from Yellow Shaman; and then the tragedy  
of his wife's being turned into a skin walker. How when Large Warrior  
saw the wrongness in following the orders of the Evil God, that he stood  
against the false god and left his tribe to fight with this new tribe to  
help end the Evil God's reign.

By now the time was late and the stars clearly seen in the night sky.  
Everyone was well fed and had enjoyed the evening's festivities  
immensely. SG1 was just about to head back to their campsite when a  
young boy of about nine years came running into the camp and up to the  
little knot of leaders. He spoke quickly to Gray Badger and Two Spears  
pointing back the way he had come.

O'Neill motioned to Jackson back to the group of Indians to listen in  
with a jerk of his head. Daniel went back to the group. After a few  
minutes he returned to his 'tribe'. "Well," O'Neill demanded.  
"What's going on?"

"The boy, Little Fox, says the God's Mouth is grumbling and making light  
like a bad bellyache is about to happen." Daniel reported, translating  
the wording exactly. "They think that this is a signal for a new  
invasion."

"Sounds like the Stargate is being test powered by someone." Carter  
agreed with a nod of her head. "We know it works so it's not SGC."

"Perhaps, whoever is attempting to open it received such a strong  
reception last time that he is testing it now." Teal'c considered. "It  
would be a cautious move on their part."

O'Neill nodded, grimly. "Are they going to keep monitoring it or are  
they going to take action tonight?" He glanced back to the knot of the  
chiefs and their shaman.

Daniel looked back at the growing cluster of warriors gathering around  
the tribal leaders. "Gray Badger is sending a group of warriors to stay  
there tonight. Tomorrow Painted Face will take his Spirit Journey and  
seek wisdom from the Great Spirit on how they are to fight the Evil God  
this time."

"Do they want our help?" O'Neill looked over towards the knot of tribal  
leaders who were still discussing the occurrence.

"Well, uh, actually yes" Daniel looked down and pushed his glasses back  
up his nose. "It's more expected than to be offered."

"What do they want us to do exactly Daniel?" O'Neill asked. He liked  
these people; he wanted to help them, if they could.

"Well, the first thing," Daniel started, wrapping his arms around his  
torso. Jack went on nerve alert, Daniel's self hug was not a good sign.  
"They, uh, want me to go on a Spirit Quest along with Painted Face."

"So you're going on this 'Spirit Vision Quest Thing' along with him...?"  
Jack pressed the younger man.

"Well, actually...I'm doing my own Vision Quest at the same time." The  
younger man almost looked embarrassed at this announcement. "They think  
that two shamans communing with the Great Spirit has twice the luck of  
getting the right answer." 

Jack continued to look expectantly at his friend. "And that means what,  
exactly?"

"Well, ah..." Daniel ran his hand through his hair. "Actually, Jack.  
I'm not really sure." He crossed his arms in front of his torso again  
and rocked back on his heels. "Most Amerindians used a combination of  
meditation and pharmacological means of attaining their instructional  
visions. Usually, involving fasting and the use of native herbal  
stimulants such as.... Peyote buttons, mushrooms...you know.... like  
that."

"Meditation and...herbal stimulants." Jack made a face and sighed.  
"Danny, that sounds like a really bad trip waiting to happen." He shook  
his head. "I don't think this is a good idea." O'Neill thought a split  
second longer and then raised his hand; index finger pointed up into the  
air. "No, wait! I'm sure it's not a good idea. In fact I'm so sure  
that the idea is off." He turned and started to stalk back to the camp.

"But Jack..." Daniel followed him determinedly. "Jack," He caught up  
with the Colonel and grabbed his sleeve, turning his friend and team  
leader back to face him. "Jack, this isn't a 'Just Say No' situation.  
If I don't do this, it could cause us to lose face with these people."  
He stood his ground as Jack turned back to face him.

"Danny, just tell them, just tell them that this isn't your way."  
O'Neill shook his head and ran his hand back behind his neck. "I've  
never known you to do anything, like this, before." He looked into  
Daniel's blue eyes. "This is too much. I know that you love to immerse  
yourself in the culture that we're dealing with, but you've never even  
done anything like this have you?" He demanded.

Jackson met his gaze for a moment then dropped his eyes. "Actually,  
Jack. No I haven't. But I've known people who have tried this...."

O'Neill raised his hand to stop him. "I thought not. Look Daniel, I  
appreciate your willingness to go the distance for the team but I have  
known people who have done these 'herbal stimulants'. I grew up in the  
sixties remember, and some of the side effects can be pretty nasty."  
The Colonel shook his head. "I do know that they can bring up buried  
memories, that they can intensify your emotions. Hell, they can blow  
you into another dimension on a one way ride. This stuff is nothing to  
fool with and you;" He stopped dropped his hand back to his side. "You,  
my friend are a cheap drunk."

Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose with his index finger. "But  
Jack..."

O'Neill took a deep breath and reached his hand up to put it on Daniel's  
shoulder. "Look let's quit fighting in front of the nosey neighbors."  
He turned back towards the campsite, bringing his friend with him.  
"Let's go back to camp now. We'll figure out what we can do to help  
these people and exactly how to do it." O'Neill looked back at Carter  
and Teal'c, indicating they should follow. "Come one, let's go. We  
need some team think time."

*******************

Later that evening O'Neill and Jackson were sitting at the campfire over  
two cups of Air Force Instant coffee. Carter and Teal'c had already  
turned in, preparing for their guard mounts later that night. The  
Colonel was still trying to dissuade his friend while they were alone,  
but not very successfully.

"Daniel, You don't have to do this you know." Jack repeated, sitting  
across the fire from his friend. "This isn't something that's a big  
deal."

The younger man thought he sensed a weakness in Jack's armor and leaned  
forward towards his team chief. "Actually, Jack, it is. This is an  
golden opportunity for me, as an archeologist to really experience..."

"Daniel." Jack raised his hand. "Stop. Please. You don't know what  
will happen when you do this. You only have what American Indians do,  
not what Px42753 Indians do. Besides, what value is this in our present  
circumstances? " O'Neill shook his head. "It's not going to help us  
fight the Gould's. It's not going to help us in the battle later on,  
whenever it comes." He turned and looked directly at his friend. "In  
fact, it may hurt you, take a man out of the fight." He looked down  
into his coffee cup. "It doesn't make any sense to me."

Jackson thought a moment to find a way to explain this need, this  
requirement to his friend. He knew that Jack was worried about the  
effect the ceremony would have on him. And he couldn't truthfully say  
what good it would do, he just knew in the long run it would be  
valuable. "Jack," He started. "I have thought about this. It will  
make a difference. Not only to the Anasazi, but also to me."

"Damnit, Daniel. You aren't Anasazi. Hell, you're no more Indian than  
I am, and you certainly are not a Shaman." O'Neill wouldn't let up on  
the point he was trying to make. "Look, I admit I played around with  
some of that stuff back in the sixties. There were lots of people were  
hurt by it, physically and mentally. Daniel you don't need any more  
grief in your life."

"Jack, I'm not dropping LSD, for Pete's sake. It's only peyote  
buttons." 

"Yea, only the most hallucinogenic of the herbs." He leaned over and  
laid a hand on Daniel's arm. "I can order you not to do this, you  
know."

"I'd really like you not to do that Jack." Daniel dropped his eyes and  
stared into the flames.

"Yea, well I'd really like not to have to do that Danny." Jack was not  
very happy with the way this conversation was going. 

Daniel sat for a moment, then looked at his friend. "I'm going to do it  
Jack."

O'Neill let his hand fall back to his side and looked sadly at the  
younger man. "I was afraid of that, but I don't know why."

"Because it's the right thing to do."

Jack looked up again across the flames. "Are you so sure? You know you  
already have enough crap in your subconscious to drop a bull elephant.  
Do you really want to see it, maybe have to live it, all over again?"

"Maybe that won't happen." Daniel met his eyes with a look of his own.  
"Maybe it will show me a way out of my nightmares."

O'Neill stood up and looked down at his friend. "God, I hope so Danny.  
I'm just afraid that you may find more bad trips than good answers out  
there." He turned to go to his tent.

Danny spoke without looking up. "Jack, I can take a 'watcher', a  
guardian to stay with me. Will you do it?"

The Colonel paused at the flap door of his tent, his back still to  
Jackson. "If that's what you want."

"Yes, it is." His friend replied softly.

"Then I will be there for you, Danny. You know that, don't you?" He  
turned back to look at the younger man.

"Yea, I do." Jackson smiled shyly at him. "I guess I just wanted to  
hear you say it."

*******************

The next morning, Painted Face came to the campsite and politely called  
out a greeting in his language. Jack was sitting back on 'his' log,  
nursing his second cup of morning coffee. Carter was still abed as she  
had pulled late watch and Teal'c had gone on to the Stargate to see if  
anything else had happened during the night, so O'Neill was alone. He  
waived the young Indian into the fire circle and offered him a cracker  
from the MRE he had opened earlier. The young man accepted it and a cup  
of water and sat down comfortably. They could hear Jackson still in  
his tent rummaging around, looking for something. The Shaman nodded to  
O'Neill, got up and went over to the tent opening. He scratched on the  
flap. "Dan-yel, are you ready?"

He poked his head out of the tent flap. "Uh, hello." Jack waived at  
him from the campfire. Daniel hurried out of his tent, still putting  
his Desert Camo Shirt on. "I thought the ceremony was tonight?"

"The ceremony is tonight, Dan-yel. Now we must go to purify ourselves  
and make ready to receive the Sacred Visions the Great Spirit will  
send."

O'Neill had watched the exchange warily and when Jackson had translated  
the words to Jack, he asked concernedly. "What does he mean 'purify'  
and all that stuff'? Suspicion coloring his tone.

Jackson was fully out of the tent now, pulling on his DCU Fatigue shirt.  
He looked at the Indian standing at their fire. "I'm not sure Jack,  
I'll ask."

The Shaman looked at O'Neill, then spoke. "Your Chief does not approve  
of your taking the Spirit Trail." It was a statement, not a question.

"My Chief doesn't understand the ways of your people. He is worried  
that I may be hurt by the peyote." Daniel shrugged. "I have never done  
this before. How do I purify myself for the ceremony?"

"How do you seek wisdom to know how to advise him in his actions if you  
haven't taken a spirit journey?" The young Shaman asked confused. 

"We study the wisdom of our ancestors by reading the writings and  
drawings they have left us. I read them and tell him what their wisdom  
says, and then he makes the choice of what we will do." Jackson was  
trying to explain, but it sounded lame to him too when he had to  
actually say it.

Painted Face frowned. "That sounds very difficult. You must guess what  
your ancestors would want. Our ways are better. When the spirits speak  
to me, I am sure I can give Grey Badger the truth."

"That is why I want to do this thing." Jackson replied to the young  
Shaman. "To see the truth through your eyes."

"It is a good thing you do to bring our people together. But I  
understand your Chief also. Two Spears doesn't like me to do this  
either." He shrugged. "I think they are much alike. They do not like  
their clansmen to go with dangers they cannot protect them from."

Jackson looked over at where O'Neill was staring into the fire. He had  
been listening to the language that he didn't comprehend, trying to  
understand. Daniel smiled back at Painted Face. "Yes, this is so."  
Then he changed the subject back. "How do we prepare for the ceremony?"

"First we will go down to the river and bathe in the cold water, then we  
will go to the mineral springs to bathe in the hot water, then the Kivas  
and bathe in the hot dry smoke. There we will have the ceremony tonight  
and we will eat the sacred peyote. Then we will go to the mountain, me  
to my place and you to yours, and wait for the Great Spirit to come to  
us. Our watchers will protect us from enemies and animals. We will not  
speak unless the spirit tells us to." He shrugged. "Usually, I do not  
speak until after. But Old Tree, before me, would cry out and speak in  
the old language. It depends on the seeker. That is why we take the  
watchers. Before Old Tree, who was my teacher in the way, the old  
Shaman Long Bow fell from the mountain and he went under too early. That  
is why we lost that battle to the false gods that time. We didn't have  
the truth from the Great Spirit to guide us. It was a very bad time.  
We nearly lost our place."

"So what must I do now?" Daniel asked.

"Now we go to the river to wash off the dirt, then to the sacred  
spring," He pointed towards the mountains. "It is a gift of hot waters  
from the Great Spirit. It is medicinal for the old and sick. For us it  
will relax our bodies and make us more receptive to the visions."

"I understand. I will tell my chief, then we can go." Danny turned to  
Jack to fill him in. "Right now, I get to go to a mineral pool and soak  
for a while. Later we'll go to the Kivas, and then have the ceremony.  
The Spirit Quest will be tonight. That's when I need you to stay with  
me." He smiled and shrugged at Jack. "Evidently an old Shaman fell off  
the mountain and died during a vision. It's strictly precautionary."

Jack rolled his eyes at Jackson and grunted. "Ya think? Geez Danny,  
the things you do to yourself are beyond belief." He stood up and threw  
what was left of his coffee on the embers of their campfire. "OK, you  
go soak your head and I'll go into the village and see what I can do to  
help there." He pitched his shirt jacket back into his tent. Too warm  
for this climate and some hard work would be good for his mind. "Just  
be careful, OK?"

"OK, Jack. I won't drown myself in the pool." Jackson called back as  
he followed Painted Face up the trail towards the Village.

O'Neill watched the two men as they walked off towards the river. Then  
he poured Carter a cup of hot coffee and went to wake her.

*******************

Chapter 3

When Teal'c returned from the Stargate location, O'Neill and Carter were  
sitting at the campfire nursing their morning cups of coffee. "Where is  
Daniel Jackson?" He asked his teammates when he sat down by the fire  
with them.

"He's with Painted Face." Jack grimaced staring down into his coffee  
cup. "It'll be good to cement our relations with the Anasazi, I guess."

Carter looked over at her Commanding Officer. "I'm sure it'll be all  
right, sir."

O'Neill looked over at her. "I hope so. I'm not thrilled with the  
idea, though." He glanced at Teal'c. "What's going on at the  
Stargate?"

"The sentinels have changed but they still continue to monitor the  
gate." Teal'c replied. "They have established round the clock shifts  
with several men at each watch. They are showing great concern and are  
determined not to be surprised."

O'Neill nodded. "We'll go down to the village and assist in whatever  
preparations we can help with. I'm interested in seeing what they  
intend to do to stop the Gould from coming through the gate and taking  
over."

"You think they may have a secret weapon, sir?" Carter asked.

"I don't know. But I find it hard to believe that a snakehead can be  
beaten with bows and arrows."

Teal'c nodded. "I too would like to know what weapons are used. Even a  
minor system lord should have no difficulty in establishing himself  
here. Yet..."

"They haven't been able to beat these people." O'Neill finished for him  
nodding. The Colonel stood up and stretched. "OK, let's go down to the  
village and see what we can do to help get ready for the uninvited  
guests.

Teal'c stood and looked at Jackson's tent. "When is Daniel Jackson  
returning?"

O'Neill almost looked embarrassed. "He went to get ready for tonight."

The warrior looked curiously at his leader. "I did not think that you  
wanted Danieljackson to participate in the Vision Quest."

"I didn't, but he talked me into letting him do it." Jack shook his  
head in misgiving. "Of course, I could have ordered him not to do  
it..."

Carter smiled over at O'Neill. "Yes, sir. And he would have done it  
anyway."

"Yea, I figured that." O'Neill stood up and stretched. "At least this  
way I'm going with him and can see what goes on."

"It will be all right, O'Neill. I have never known Danieljackson to be  
foolhardy."

Both O'Neill and Carter looked over at the big man. "Teal'c, are we  
talking about the same guy here?" Jack looked at his teammate in  
amazement. "The one I'm thinking of is six feet; one hundred seventy-  
five pounds of leap before you look archeologist." 

Teal'c had to smile briefly at O'Neill's description. "But he does it  
knowingly. I'm certain he believes it is the right thing to do."

"Yea, if you say so." He threw the dregs of his coffee into the fire.  
"Let's go into the village and see if we can make ourselves useful."  
The remaining three SG1members put out the campfire and started the walk  
into the village.

*******************

When they had reached the larger encampment Jack located the War Chief,  
Two Spears. Through hand signals, O'Neill offered their help in  
preparing for the forthcoming battle After due consideration, Carter was  
directed to a group of women and young people and who were constructing  
arrows and spears. Moon Woman instructed her in the art of knapping  
arrowheads from flint pieces, by using harder granite stones. It was  
more difficult that it had appeared from the vantage point of the  
uninitiated, but she set about it with mathematical precision and once  
she got the theory down she was a quick student of the art

O'Neill and Teal'c were directed up the cliffs where small groups of  
warriors were piling large numbers of good sized rocks on the canyon  
edge along the route to the Stargate. The boulders had to be of a  
certain size and shape to be approved of by the older men directing the  
efforts. The Colonel and the Jaffa went along with this more to cement  
their relationship with the tribe than any belief that these rocks were  
going to do one bit of good against an incursion by Goa'uld forces. But  
between the two of them they managed to gather an impressive pile of  
rocks about the size of men's heads.

After several hours of this laborious task, a break was called for  
lunch. A meal was brought up to them from the village fires by some of  
the older children. As the two members of SG watched and ate the dried  
meat and corn cakes, another group of men started carrying leather bags  
containing some kind of thick liquid up from the village. These sacks  
were also piled close to the cliff's edge. Not far from these piles,  
fires were started and wood from the surrounding area was brought in to  
feed the bonfires.

Down in the camp, Carter's group had also stopped for lunch. The women  
were curious about her and through sign language were asking about a  
'man' for her, did she have children, were her clansmen married, all  
things of interest in a relatively small female society. It was a  
relaxing break from the difficult and exacting work but after the meal  
the women had resumed their chores with dedication. Sam and a few of  
the younger and stronger women were redirected from the making of arrows  
to creating larger, heavier spears of about six feet in length from  
slender tree trunks. Some of the men had returned from the cliffs and  
were participating in this activity also, both in the construction and  
the finer art of balancing the longer throwing weapons. Then the  
younger children, aged from six to ten years had started transporting  
bundles of the finished arrows up the narrow trail to the cliff top  
fortifications. Older boys were now involved, busy creating throw  
sticks from branches of about one to two feet long with a leather thong  
on the far end and a short style of bow, three to four feet in length  
with which to deliver the arrows. Then after, when a goodly number had  
been finished these too were carried up to the cliffs. Carter noticed  
that for all the comradery and enjoyment of the task by the group the  
fact remained that the women had gotten a lot done. She knew and the  
other women knew that they were preparing for a war for the lives of  
their men and their very existence. She looked over at Moon Woman who  
was still sitting with the arrow-makers touching up a final few shafts.  
The younger woman saw her look, then she lay a hand on her burgeoning  
belly and smiled back at her new friend. There was no mistaking what  
she was fighting for.

*******************

Painted Face and Daniel had left the SG campsite early that morning and  
had gone on to the river where they were greeted by a number of younger  
women filling gourds and skin sacks with water. The women had merrily  
waved to the Shaman and the Scholar. One or two of the younger girls  
had offered to come with them and assist in the bathing, but Painted  
Face had laughed with them and told them to mind their manners and do  
their work. When Daniel looked at him for an explanation the younger  
man had explained that the 'forward' women had wanted to see what his  
white skin looked like without any clothes on. The girls were unmarried  
and were starting to consider Daniel as a possible husband since he was  
a self-admitted widower. The two men continued on downstream to a  
private cove where Painted Face removed some herbs from his carry-sack  
stripped off his leather shirt and breeches and entered the water nude.  
Daniel copied his actions and the Shaman handed him a handful of the  
leaves from a succulent plant. 

"These will clean your skin, and if you have a raw spot it will treat  
it." He explained to his companion, scrubbing himself briskly in  
demonstration. 

Daniel took the herbs and started rubbing himself cautiously. All he  
needed was to have an allergic reaction to the cleansing plants and Jack  
would call the whole Spirit Quest off in a heartbeat. Luckily he didn't  
get anything but a tingling, astringent-like sensation, so he was game  
to continue.

After a good half-hour of scrubbing, Painted Face (now sans paint)  
motioned for them to get out. Then, dressed only in their briefs (the  
shaman in his loincloth and Daniel in his Hanes), they proceeded to  
climb over a ridge and down into a sheltered valley about a half a mile  
away. Here they found a steaming pool of mineral water. Jackson was a  
little surprised as the region had showed no sign of volcanic activity  
but he was assured that the mountain range behind and above the valley  
had at one time been Fire Mountains.

Painted Face again brought out two hands full of some dried herbs and  
handed one off to his student shaman. Again a cleansing session, but  
this time it was followed with a meditation period and a chanting song  
while still submersed. The song addressed the Great Spirit who saw fit  
to travel with The People to this new land and asked him to continue to  
assist them in the defense of the tribe against the false gods and their  
skin-walkers. To this refrain, Daniel silently added his wholehearted  
support and added a silent 'amen' to the request.

Following the Hot Springs treatment, the two men again emerged from the  
mineral pool and continued on to the next phase of cleansing nude. The  
two trekked up a narrow rocky trail and finally came to a cleft in the  
mountain where a fresh, icy spring burst out of the neck of the rocky  
hillside. There, Painted Face looked over his shoulder at Daniel and  
dove off an overhanging boulder into a deep, crystal clear pool of  
water. Daniel, never one to be unRoman in Rome, grasped his glasses  
firmly with his left hand and followed his friend, plunging into the  
icy, cold water. He reemerged with a whoop. "That's freezing!"

Painted Face, treading water while he waited laughed at his companion's  
reaction and splashed more of the icy water in the young white man's  
face. "This will energize your spirit tonight for the ceremony."

"Either that or give me pneumonia." Daniel sputtered

Luckily, after only a few minutes in the cold mountain spring pool,  
Painted Face motioned to his friend and the two climbed out onto a flat  
granite ledge that the sun had warmed. They lay next to each other on  
the heated rock allowing it's warmth to seep back into their  
extremities. 

After a while, the young Indian sat up and looked at his companion  
critically. "You are very white."

Daniel had replaced his glasses and returned the examination in kind.  
"You are very brown, but if I lay out in the sun much longer, I will  
turn very red."

"That would be interesting to see, but not comfortable for you I think."

"No, it would be rather painful." Daniel agreed. "My people have made  
a lotion that I can put on that is some protection, but it has been  
washed off"

"Will you be all right until tonight?" The shaman asked concerned.  
"Your clothing has been taken back to the camp. You will not have them  
until tomorrow morning after we share our visions."

"I'll probably be okay; I'll get a little red." He glanced up at the  
sun and noted that it was late afternoon already. "We're not going  
back?"

"Only for a little while, we will go back to the village for the sacred  
peyote, and then we and our watchers will go to the Great Mountain  
overlooking the village." The young shaman assured Daniel. "Two Spears  
will be my watcher. Will Grey Chief watch for you?" He looked for  
confirmation from Daniel. When he nodded, the shaman continued. "Then  
we will have the ceremony and we will go separate to the mountain to  
wait for our Spirit Quest." He continued. "Tomorrow in the morning  
light, we will come back together and go to the village. There we will  
tell of our journeys to The People."

"What if I don't have a Spirit Journey or don't understand it?" Daniel  
pressed.

"Oh, you will have one...but if you don't understand it, I will try to  
help you interpret it"

"What if I have an evil dream?" Daniel hesitated. "I have some pretty  
bad memories."

Painted Face shook his head with conviction. "These are not memories  
that we seek, these are visions, omens. You will not have evil in your  
dreams. I know. You are a good man."

"I hope so, my friend." Jackson shook his head. "That's why Jack, uh  
Gray Chief was so concerned for me. He doesn't want me hurt."

"It will be well with you, Yellow Shaman. I know. You will see."  
Painted Face looked up at the sun. "It is growing late. We must return  
to the village now."

"Yes, I think I'm getting a little well done." Daniel examined his  
redening skin and grimaced. "Uh, are we going back like this?'

The young Indian smiled at him and got to his feet. "As much as the  
young maidens would like it, no. My wife brought these here for us  
earlier." He went over to a natural shelf in the stony ledge and  
retrieved two deerskin loincloths. He threw one at Jackson. "She  
would not approve of my showing myself. And I think your sister would  
not either."

Daniel smiled at the thought of Sam's reaction, not to mention Jack and  
Teal'cs if he showed up buck-naked. "No, she might laugh."

The shaman looked back at his friend. "I do not believe that any of the  
other maidens would, but it would prove a distraction to the ceremony."

The two men arrived back in the village just as the sun was going down  
behind the high mountain peak that guarded the community. Dinner had  
already been eaten, Daniel had known that he and Painted Face would not  
be having any food before their Spirit journeys. But as they walked  
down the village 'Main Street' a sizable crowd gathered to escort them  
to Grey Badger's lodge.

The old Chief, Two Spears and Jack had heard the sounds of their  
welcoming group's voices and came out of the Grey Badger's small lodge.  
The two war chiefs greeted Painted Face with honor; grasping him by both  
upper arms and guiding him away from the clay hut and on down the narrow  
pathway. O'Neill approached Daniel and met him with a relieved grin,  
clasping his shoulder in welcome. Daniel smiled in return and the two  
white men followed the three Indians.

Carter and Teal'c watched the Colonel and Jackson leave with the others.  
Daniel saw them and waived. The two remaining teammates, standing with  
the crowd, waved back. Sam called out, "Good luck, Daniel." He smiled  
back at her, then turned to get into step with Jack.

"Nice outfit!" The Colonel commented on the leather breechclout his  
friend was wearing. "The nurses back at the SGC would love it."

Daniel shook his head. "I knew I'd get a comment from you."

"Carter will have to take pictures for them."

"Jack!"

"Daniel!"

The trail lead them back down the Canyon's wall to the path that led up  
to the pueblo-like 'ruins' that had been the initial attraction to this  
Stargate address. "Well, I guess I will get to see them, after all."  
Daniel murmured.

O'Neill glanced over at his friend. "You're gonna get to see more than  
you think, Danny. I just hope it's a good journey.

His young friend ruefully smiled back at him. 

The three Indians led them up into the Kiva where a small inner fire  
ring was already smoking with embers. . The two men joined the  
warriors in their circle, sitting cross-legged. Jack glanced over at  
his erstwhile Shaman and asked in a low voice. "What's going to happen  
now?"

Daniel leaned over. "I'm not really sure, a ceremony of some sort.  
Then we four go up to the Spirit Mountain where Painted Face and I..."

Grey Badger had started to chant. He reached behind him to a leather  
bag and pulled out a pipe made of a white wood. The Chief reached to  
the fire and pulled out an ember. He stopped the chant as he  
lit the pipe, took a smoking mouthful and handed it first to Two Spears.  
The younger chief took a small puff of the smoking pipe, then handed it  
off to Jack. O'Neill also took a small puff and held the smoke in his  
mouth to determine what it was they were hitting. It was a sweet grass  
of some sort, not even tobacco. He passed it back to Grey Badger who  
had reached for its return. The old man took another inhalation then  
passed it first to Painted Face. The young Shaman followed suit,  
passing it on to Daniel who again returned it to the old man. This  
continued for two more rounds then finally, Grey Badger laid the pipe  
down and resumed his chanting. Next, he pulled a large handful of the  
same type of grass and laid it directly onto the fire. This caused the  
smoke to rise and encircle the men in the Kiva. Then, a halved gourd of  
water was poured directly into the flame, causing more smoke to issue  
into the confined area. The chanting continued until the smoke wended  
its way up to the small smoke hole in the roof of the Kiva and the air  
cleared to a light haze.

When the smoke cleared, O'Neill realized that he had become a little  
light headed from inhaling the fragrant odor of the burned sweet grass.  
He glanced at Painted Face and Daniel and noticed that their facial  
expressions were very relaxed and introspective. Two Spears smiled  
slightly and nodded back to him. This was evidently the expected  
result.

Grey Badger was chanting again, this time in a more insistent tone. He  
reached back to his carry pouch and pulled out two small, spherical  
objects. These he presented to the Shaman and Daniel. Jack got a quick  
glance at the objects. They were the peyote buttons, each one about the  
size of his thumbnail. Two Spears again met his eyes and nodded. The  
time had come. 

Painted Face and Daniel both took the nutlike fruit of the succulent and  
bit into them. The young Shaman looked quickly at Jackson and saw that  
he had indeed eaten the button. He then bit into his and swallowed it  
himself. O'Neill had a quick flush of pride for his friend; Daniel  
really had nerve to spare, especially after his 'Just Say No' speech of  
the night before. This could still end badly, but the stone-cold  
Jackson luck was running true to form. Jack figured he'd let it run its  
course and be there for Daniel when he came back down to earth.

After a few minutes, Grey Badger rose and led the other four outside the  
Kiva. He pointed towards a narrow rocky path that continued up from the  
ceremonial area into rock cliffs and the night sky. Two Spears grasped  
Painted Face's upper arm and held the smaller man in support. The  
Shaman seemed a little shaky in his stride but started up the pathway.  
Jack touched Daniel on the shoulder, "How're you doing, Danny?"

"'m ok, Jack. A little lightheaded s'all." His young friend smiled at  
him. "Howr you doin'?"

"Peachy, just peachy." O'Neill took a firmer grip on the Archeologist's  
arm. "You ready to take a little walk with me?"

"Sure, where we goin?"

"Damned if I know." Jack grumbled, following the other two men up the  
path. "But I think it's this way."

"Kay, jus lead on Jack. I'll meet ya there." With Jack keeping a firm  
grip on Daniel's arm, they followed their counterparts up the rocky,  
trail to a windswept knoll clear of trees and larger rocks. It stood  
close to the edge of the mountain and was roomy enough that it wasn't  
especially dangerous. Two Spears and Painted Face had continued on to  
a farther site, but Daniel had somehow determined that this was the  
place he needed to be and settled down to sit cross legged on some Cedar  
tree needles. Jack had acquiesced, content that this was as high as  
Daniel needed or wanted to go. He made sure his friend was in a non-  
threatening location and the younger man had apparently entered a trance  
state. Daniel would respond to Jack's questions, but not initiate any  
conversation. So O'Neill allowed him to continue his inward search  
without any interference, while he kept a wary eye on him for any  
adverse reactions. 

Satisfied he had done all he could for his friend; Jack turned to the  
biggest sky he had ever seen. One of the disadvantages of a star  
watcher living in the suburbs is that the electric lights of  
civilization constantly impinge on the brilliance of the night sky. But  
from this aerie perch, the stars seemed to literally reach back to earth  
to impress the two men. Jack looked back to check on Daniel, but he  
was deep in his quiet, drugged state. Having nothing else to do,  
O'Neill leaned back onto a friendly tree trunk and relaxed for the  
celestial show.

Down below in their campsite, Carter and Teal'c had returned to their  
own fire. She looked up toward the mountain where O'Neill and Jackson  
must be by now. The Jaffa watched the emotions play across her face.  
"Danieljackson will be 'okay' Major Carter. O'Neill will watch him  
closely."

She turned back to him. The concern still evident. "The Colonel didn't  
want him to do this. He's concerned that Daniel will have some sort of  
drug induced flashback." The blond woman shook her head. "I hope that  
everything will be all right. Daniel is...has had so much tragedy; I  
just don't want him hurt anymore."

"Nor do I." the big man agreed. "But does your culture not believe that  
the sum of a man must also include his past. "You would not be who and  
what you are now if something was removed from your past experiences and  
knowledge. You use these past lives to go forward into the future." 

She nodded to him. "You're right, I just wish it were easier for his  
sake."

"We all have pain. If I had not succeeded in my early training, many  
good people would have been spared the evil of Apophis. Yet, it is  
that very training that allows me to fight him today. If Sha'uri had  
not be selected, Danieljackson would not be here with us learning of  
these people. If you were not in the SGC, your father would be dead of  
cancer. If it were not for General Hammond, Colonel O'Neill would not  
be our leader. And if he were not here, he might well be dead from his  
own hand." The warrior stared into the flames of the campfire. "All  
our experiences, the good, the bad and the seemingly unimportant play  
out our lives for us. We cannot run from them but we must use them to  
survive." He looked over at the young woman who was staring into the  
fire. She returned his gaze and nodded, silent with her thoughts. 

*******************

Chapter 4

Jack had been sitting watching the stars for an hour or so when Daniel  
started talking to himself. The young linguist was shifting back and  
forth between a number of languages in a low singsong voice. O'Neill  
watched him for a while then shook his head. This was usually something  
that occurred when his friend was particularly tired or not feeling  
well. O'Neill could almost follow the scenario that was playing itself  
out in Jackson's wandering, subconscious mind. Familiar words in the  
more common languages of Spanish or French, some English phrases thrown  
in were always good clues and then the unrecognizable guttural middle  
eastern dialects would appear for no apparent reason just to throw him  
off track. And of course, interspersed throughout was Daniel's  
beloved Abydonian tongue, the language of his happiest days with his  
doomed Sha'uri. O'Neill shifted closer to his best friend's side, more  
for his own comfort than that of the other man. He reached over and  
touched Jackson's bare skin and when he found it a bit too cool, he  
removed his DCU Fatigue shirt and placed it over his friend's shoulders.

When he was satisfied that he had done all that he could, Jack stretched  
out flat on his back on the ground to resume his stargazing. He felt  
that if he did doze off, Daniel couldn't move away without waking him.

Later that evening something did rouse O'Neill from his light nap. He  
rolled over and immediately realized that Daniel was no longer in his  
prescribed place, only the fatigue shirt lying crumpled on the ground.  
Jack immediately sat up and looked around, to see Jackson standing on  
the very edge of the rock face precipice, gazing off into the night sky.  
Alarmed, O'Neill hurriedly climbed to his feet and eased himself over to  
stand quietly behind and beside his friend within easy arms reach.

"Daniel," He spoke quietly so as not to startle his friend. "Danny,  
what 'cha doing?" 

Daniel turned and looked back at him, his eyes haunted. "Nothing, Jack.  
I'm just looking at the stars." His voice held an alarming tone of  
sadness. O'Neill's hackles rose at the tone of that voice. Daniel  
returned his line of sight to particularly brilliant star field.

"How do you feel?" O'Neill reached over with his right hand and gently  
grasped the other man's wrist. "Is everything okay?"

Daniel turned to face his friend and his eyes sparkled with tears in the  
moonlight. "Jack."

"You okay?" The older man repeated the question.

Jackson continued to stand on the precipice, looking up at the stars.  
"Jack?"

"Yea, Danny?" 

"Why are we here?" The younger man asked in a plaintive tone, sounding  
confused. He looked back at his companion

O'Neill tightened his grip on Daniel's wrist. "Where, Danny? On the  
cliff? For your 'Spirit Thing', remember?"

"No." the younger man sighed, shifting his feet. O'Neill caught his  
breath, ready to hold Jackson's weight. "Why are we here, on this  
planet? Why are we here at all?"

O'Neill leaned back, putting more pressure on his friend's arm trying to  
urge him farther from the edge. "Cause it's our job, Daniel. Remember  
we were sent to find out what's here. Look, why don't we step back from  
the ledge?" He tugged harder towards the trees. "We can sit and talk  
over here."

After a few seconds, the passive reply finally came. "If you want."  
O'Neill now put firm pulling pressure on Jackson, fighting against the  
other's resistance until he got the younger man moving back over to  
their initial starting point. He pushed his teammate until he sat down  
on the soft conifer needles. Jack picked up the shirt from the ground  
and hung it on his friend's shoulders against the damp. Jack looked  
into Daniel's eyes trying to see if they were dilated. The blue eyes  
looking back were bleak. 

"Daniel, tell me." He sat down cross-legged in front of the younger  
man. "So, what happened?"

Daniel looked dazed, as if trying to understand what was going on in his  
own mind. He then looked earnestly at O'Neill. "It was...disturbing."  
He hesitated, Jack nodded encouragement. "I got a little light headed  
in the Kiva, you know." The older man nodded back encouragingly. "But  
relaxed. Then when I ate the peyote button, everything got kind of  
hazy. When we walked up here, everything got really clear for a while;  
it all seemed to fall into place." Daniel shifted positions, wrapped  
his arms around his torso and started a minute rocking motion. "Like  
everything in my life has led to us being here on this planet with these  
people, our finding the tribe and being accepted, even my being here on  
this mountain with you, like it all had a purpose."

O'Neill watched his friend for a few seconds, then he asked. "What was  
the purpose, Daniel?"

"As far as I could tell it was to help them survive another coming of  
the Goa'uld." The younger man shook his head slightly. "We were  
brought here to help save them, Jack." The blue eyes focused on  
O'Neill. "But I don't know how."

O'Neill was becoming concerned with the way this was headed. "Daniel,"  
He grasped his friend's shoulders and insisted the younger man listen to  
him. "Danny. I've known you now for over 4 years. You think we should  
help everybody, save everybody." When he was sure he had his teammate's  
attention, Jack slid his hands down to the younger man's hands and held  
them firmly. "You have saved lots of people, my own sorry self being  
one of them. You've single handedly saved Earth once or twice. To keep  
on saving it, you, we have to keep on being there to do the job." He  
took a breath for emphasis. "Danny, these people want your help, not  
your sacrifice."

Jackson shifted the grip O'Neill had on his hands to hold them in his  
own, then he looked up earnestly. "I know Jack. But I don't know  
how...just like on Abydos, when they took Sha'uri. I couldn't do  
anything. All I can do is watch...again." Daniel dropped his eyes to  
the ground.

"No, Daniel." Jack looked down to where their hands reached across the  
space between them. "Not like on Abydos, we won't let it happen again!"

The blue eyes looked up and held Jack's sable ones. "Promise."

O'Neill was silent, thinking before he offered platitudes. Promises  
were his pledge, his and Daniel's truth. Promises here were for blood.  
Jack thought of their teammates in their camp, the people in the village  
that had accepted them, then farther back through the Stargate to the  
SGC. To their promises there, oaths of honor to their own 'tribe' and  
Chief. He looked up at his friend. "Daniel, I promise. No more like  
Abydos. Never again."

Daniel nodded his head in acceptance. "Never again."

Jack shifted his position to beside Daniel, their shoulders almost  
touching. The two men sat next to each other for an hour or so, quietly  
watching the stars wandering into the morning sky. Finally, Jackson  
looked over at O'Neill. "Do you want to hear my vision, Jack?"

The older man turned to face his friend. "Can you tell me first, or do  
you and Painted Face have to do it together, you know compare notes?"

Daniel looked at him helplessly. "I haven't a clue. He didn't really  
say."

"Well, then...I guess it doesn't matter since he didn't say you  
couldn't." The older man gave him a grin and his complete attention.  
"So give. What did you see?"

"I'm almost embarrassed to say it out loud." Jackson looked sadly  
chagrined. "It was more like one of those old Disney films. You know  
the 'True Life Adventure' ones that used to come on Sunday nights."

O'Neill looked sidewise at his young companion and shook his head.  
"Only you would do Peyote Buttons and get a Disney story, Danny."

"I know." The younger man shook his head denigratingly. "But that's my  
luck, always the cartoon."

"Oh, stop it. Come on. Give." Jack insisted, teasingly. "What did  
you see?"

Jackson took a breath. "Well, it's confusing in the beginning. There's  
this skinny dog or wolf and he's wandering around finding things that he  
thinks are important, but nobody else does. He meets an old female dog  
that takes him to a cave. There, she introduces him to a pack of  
wolves. He and these wolves go on a journey through a tunnel. During  
the journey they meet up with a lioness and a bear." Daniel stopped and  
scowled for a second. "First they fight the bear, but he comes over to  
their side." He glanced at Jack who nodded for him to continue. "They  
become partners, the skinny dog, the old wolf leader, the lioness and  
the bear. Then they go around and have adventures. Every once in a  
while they go back to the cave and meet different animals that all live  
there." He smiled to himself, "There's a hawk, a raccoon and every once  
in a while a fox comes." Danny shook his head in depreciation.  
"Honest, Jack. I feel like it's a Bugs Bunny movie or something. It's  
embarrassing."

O'Neill had been watching Danny was torn between amusement and awe, but  
he prompted him to keep on talking. "So what happens next?"

Daniel thought a moment, then continued. "Well, they go on this trip  
through the tunnel and meet up with some deer. Lots of deer, and  
they're afraid, being attacked by some terrible thing that comes out of  
the dark. But the group decides to stay and help them." He shook his  
head. "I don't quite remember much from then on. I think they win  
but... It's not so clear now that I'm awake." He looked back up at  
Jack, self-conscious. "Loony -toons, huh?"

O'Neill shifted to a softer spot on his leaning tree and looked at the  
younger man with satisfaction. "Nope, makes perfect sense to me,  
Wiley."

"What?" Daniel asked, still confused. "I don't understand."

O'Neill spoke gently to his young friend. "The problem with geniuses is  
that you think everything has to be so hard, so complicated." Jack  
smiled over at Daniel. "Daniel, you have just given a succinct synopsis  
of our whole last four years." He allowed himself a small chuckle.  
"You can't see the SGC for the True Life Adventures, excuse the pun."

Jackson still looked mystified.

O'Neill sat forward, crossed his legs and leaned his elbows on his  
knees. "You were more right than you thought you were when you said you  
didn't know your Southwestern Cultural History." Jack sighed,  
continuing. "Indians deal with things right out of nature, things they  
know and recognize. Their religion is Shamanistic, totemic I guess  
you'd say." Daniel nodded at him, amazed at his friend and not saying a  
word. "Animals were their life symbols, their 'little gods'. They use  
them to personify personality traits and even stereotypes.  
Subconsciously you must have picked up on that and with your own brand  
of outrageous imagination and a little 'herbal stimulation', you just  
mixed and matched what you needed to make a 'Spirit Journey'.

Daniel was looking at O'Neill as if he'd suddenly grown a second head  
right in front of him. "Jack, where are you getting all this?" He  
demanded of his normally not-historical-at-all friend. "You've never  
said anything about...."

O'Neill shook his head and put his hand up to stop the forthcoming flood  
of commentary. "Whoa, let me explain." He started in calmly. "When I  
joined Special Ops back in the Seventies, I had an instructor who was an  
Indian. I don't even remember what kind he was, but he was the best  
survival and tactical instructor I have ever had the honor to be yelled  
at by." Jack smiled at the memory of his old mentor. "When we got to a  
point, where we couldn't get it, couldn't figure out what we needed...  
he'd pull out one of his old stories. Said his grandfather told them to  
him when he was a boy on the reservation to give examples with. All the  
characters were animals." Jack stopped and gazed fondly at his young  
friend. "The Coyote was the troublemaker, the trickster, always curious  
and sometimes he got caught in his own trap but he'd talk the other  
animals into helping him out of his problems."

"So," Daniel started out slowly, watching his friend for confirmation.  
"You're saying I'm the skinny coyote?" O'Neill nodded at him. "So you  
must be the Wolf?"

"Yea, the 'old' wolf thanks a lot, and if Carter isn't a girl mountain  
lion and Teal'c a great big grizzly bear I wouldn't know who would be."

Jackson shook his head. "But Jack, it's too cute. This isn't..."

"What? What isn't it?" He demanded. "Don't make this so hard, Danny.  
You got off good." O'Neill reached out and ruffled his friend's hair.  
"If it'd been me, I probably would have gotten an Alfred Hitchcock or  
Freddy Krueger flick. Don't complain so much about the luck of the  
Disney movie, my friend. Take it from me, Painted Face is gonna love  
it."

The two friends sat together on the rock face ledge that faced east off  
of the mountain. O'Neill pulled out a couple of granola bars from his  
shirt pocket and they shared a small breakfast, washed down by canteen  
water. The sun rose and warmed them in its time, giving them its  
ancient show of the early renewal of life. From the valley below, they  
could hear the voices of the women singing the morning song to welcome  
the sun back from its land of night. Daniel reached over and touched  
Jack's shoulder, then pointed out over the canyon where an indigenous  
hawk-like bird rode the warming air's updrafts looking for its  
breakfast. O'Neill smiled back at his best friend, enjoying the relaxed  
mood that had enveloped them in its grace.

*******************

Carter and Teal'c had gotten up early and returned to the Indian  
encampment in order to be there when the Vision seekers returned. Crow  
woman had welcomed them into the fire circle outside the lodge she  
shared with Grey Badger and began preparing a breakfast for them of the  
corncakes and a fragrant herbal tea. Though the two guests couldn't  
speak the same language, the older woman started talking to the pair as  
if they were her old next door neighbors, rattling on and laughing  
occasionally indicating something fascinating about Teal'c. From her  
hand signals Sam guessed that he was a subject of conjecture among the  
younger unwed maidens. The big man began to look a little uncomfortable  
after a while, but he was ultimately saved by the arrival of Moon Woman  
to the fireside. The Jaffa got to his feet and assisted her in sitting  
down safely on a log by Carter. 

The woman was tired from the previous hard day's work but she was in  
good humor and asked Crow Woman for something. The older woman patted  
her on the back and went into the lodge to retrieve some dried leaves,  
which she then ground to a fine power and added to a gourd cup of warm  
water. Then more of the cakes were prepared and spread with a golden  
honey. Carter was interested in the interaction between the two co-  
wives of the old chief. They interacted as more a mother/daughter team  
than as equals with the older female obviously in charge of the Chief's  
home, while the other woman lived in another lodge. 

Teal'c leaned over to Sam. "Major Carter, what is the actual  
relationship between these two women?" When Sam explained, he nodded.  
"I understand. The young woman is carrying a child that will be the  
older woman's child also. This is practiced to insure security for the  
old ones should something happen to their men. I have seen this before.  
It is a very interesting arrangement."

Sam thought about it and agreed. "I know, it struck me as odd that two  
women could be happy like this, sharing a man but...since they don't  
have medical or life insurance it would be a good way to prepare for  
their security in the future."

"This is true. If an old person had no young kin to help them during  
famine or other difficulties they could die from the privations without  
other support." 

"Daniel said that Painted Face had a mother, a mother in law, a wife and  
three daughters in his home." She smiled at the morning chaos that must  
occur every day in his lodge. "That's a lot of responsibility for one  
man!"

"It is indeed, but he is a man of great power within his tribe. It is  
his duty to care for as many dependants he can afford to."

"No wonder we're such oddities." Sam mused as much to herself at to  
Teal'c. "Being that I'm the only female to three strong men, they must  
have all kinds of ideas about us."

"That is also why Danieljackson and I arouse so much interest among the  
women. They are looking for a good 'catch'."

Carter patted him on his knee. "And I can certainly understand why."  
She giggled at his discomfited expression. "That's probably why the  
Colonel has been so antsy around me. I wonder if he's aware of the  
dynamics going on here?"

"He is Major Carter." Teal'c gave an almost smile in her direction.  
"While we were working on the Canyon's edge several men approached him.  
A father with a marriageable daughter inquired about Danieljackson and  
another man spoke to him about you."

"They did?" She smiled broadly at the thought of O'Neill's reaction.  
"What did he say?"

"About Danieljackson, that we were on a long journey and the Shaman  
would be needed to travel with us. About yourself, Col O'Neill stated  
that they must talk to your 'brother' as it was not his place to speak  
for a medicine woman who traveled her own trail."

"Hummm, passed the buck did he?" She shook her head. "That's the  
Colonel, never a straight answer to a straight question." She looked  
back at Teal'c. " Anyone ask about you?" 

"Yes." He looked at her. 

She looked back. "Okay, I give up. What happened"?

"He referred them to myself and I answered that I am also traveling and  
would not be back for a long time. I said that I did not want to leave  
a wife behind. They understood and the subject was dropped."

"I bet."

More people were starting to gather around in the village circle not far  
from the fireside of Grey Badger's lodge. Carter could make out Little  
Bird, the toddler daughter of Painted Face. She was dragging another  
larger girl of about six years of age along with her. A few steps  
behind them, a beautiful Indian woman of about thirty years of age  
walked sedately along with a girl of about eight. This Sam realized  
must be Painted Face's household. Also, walking with them was a woman  
of about forty years, a large, handsome person she exuded character and  
charisma. When Two Spears' son, Young Deer, shouted something to her  
from a distance it was obvious she was his mother. The extended family  
came and spoke to Crow Woman and Moon Woman for a short time, but the  
clan was obviously waiting for something to happen and not just here on  
a social call. Carter could only think they were waiting for their men  
to return from the 'Sprit Quest' just as she and Teal'c were.

As it turned out the wait was only a short one. A quiet murmur seemed  
to filter through the village and proceed the returning group of four  
men. While the tribe didn't crowd around or ask any questions the  
return of the party was of great interest to everyone. Two Spears led  
the way; Painted Face (no paint now) was walking tiredly behind his  
chief. The Colonel and Jackson brought up the rear, O'Neill looking  
weary and very relieved and Daniel appearing introspective, as if trying  
to organized a difficult translation in his head without benefit of  
notes. None the less, all four men had returned apparently healthy and  
unharmed. It was good news to everyone on hand.

As the quartet arrived at the door of Grey Badger's lodge, the old Chief  
opened the Blanket door and stood back to let them pass into the hut.  
The cloth was allowed to drop back into place and cut off the outside  
distractions of the gathering crowd. Crow Woman then took control of  
the situation. She motioned the immediate family members into the fire  
circle and proceeded to chase the gathering group of people back out  
into the village circle area away from the lodge. She must have  
extorted them to leave them alone for a while because all of the  
onlookers went looking for other places to be and other duties to  
perform. The older people called back and waived, which she returned  
with ongoing commentary of her own. 

Looks of relief positively warmed the circle of family that joined  
together around the breakfast fire. All the women became relaxed and  
chatted happily to each other. The younger children played in the dusty  
area outside the door with pebbles and sticks. The Vision, whatever it  
had revealed; had done no damage to the men of the house at least. Now  
it was up to the three chiefs and the two shamen to take what the Great  
Spirit had sent to them and to use the weapon against the False Gods  
when they came through the Gods' Mouth.

*******************

After several hours of being sequestered, the five main players emerged  
upon the stage of the Village's common area in the front of the Chief's  
fire circle. When Grey Badger, Painted Face, Two Spears, O'Neill and  
Jackson came out, the tribe gathered in earnest. After several minutes  
all the adults in camp were there, seated or standing; waiting.

Grey Badger started the speaking. He described the great journeys that  
the two young Shamen had set upon to find the Great Spirit's wise trail  
for them. He advised that indeed the False Ones were coming and that  
The People should continue to prepare for war. He then gave the floor  
to Painted Face who told of their two Journeys had been successful and  
the messages that they received from the Great Spirit were powerful and  
good. The shaman spoke and told the crowd that Yellow shaman had gone  
on his first Spirit Journey for the good of this tribe and that they  
would forever be of The People. Next Daniel Jackson spoke and told of  
his vision that four spirit animals had come to him and shown him that  
they were to stay and fight the evil ones with the people. That he had  
spoke with his Chief, and that it was agreed that they would lend the  
People all of their knowledge and powerful medicine to defeat the evil  
ones. And after the battle to come, they would speak to the head of  
their whole tribe and bring knowledge and strength to the People for the  
future. O'Neill nodded at his words and spoke one of two words of the  
people as a pledge of good faith. Then, finally, Two Spears spoke. He  
announced that the strangers were now of the tribe and they had new  
names for themselves. They would forever be known by their Spirit  
Animal names. Grey Chief would be forever Chief Grey Wolf, the  
Medicine Woman would be Mountain Lion Woman, the Large Warrior would be  
Great Bear and Yellow Shaman would be know as Wise Coyote.

The Tribe listened to the speeches then began to talk enthusiastically  
among itself. There were some questions shouted to the leaders and the  
answers were given quickly. The people were seemingly satisfied with  
the 'official debriefing' and after a short while of discussion and a  
little debate they appeared to be satisfied and, went back to their  
various tasks. A new group of sentinels left for the 'God's Mouth and  
Teal'c, after a brief consult with O'Neill accompanied them.

O'Neill looked over at Daniel as he sat on the ground next to Painted  
Face talking. The younger man appeared to be tiring quickly and he  
himself had not slept in twenty-four hours. "Daniel." The newly minted  
Shamen looked over at his Chief. "Daniel, what's next?" Jack grinned  
depreciatingly, "I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the bedroll."

"Oh yea, that's sounds good." Daniel yawned slightly, covering his  
mouth. "We can eat here with them or go back and eat MREs but I'm  
starving."

As if on cue, the women of the clan who had left immediately after the  
crowd had dissipated appeared at the lodge fire circle. Crow Woman  
walked over to the five men and started her cajoling manner, shooing  
them to the seating area. When Daniel and Jack took their seats,  
Carter was assisting in passing out heaping clay bowls of food to the  
men. The food was rich and savory complete with a slice of honeycomb for  
desert. Then she brought out some gourd cups of a warm brown tea to  
them and sat down beside her men.

Daniel nodded his thanks and started in on the food without a word.  
O'Neill took the cup and looked down into it. Carter smiled at him.  
"It's Chamomile I think sir."

"Whatever it is, it's good and it's hot. I'll take it." He glanced  
around at the family circle. The women and children were gathered  
around their respective men, except for Crow Woman who was putting  
another piece of meat in Daniel's bowl. He said something back and she  
patted him on the head before she left. 

O'Neill looked over at his second in command. "What have you been  
doing?"

"Blending, Sir. These people are easy to like." She took his empty cup  
and went over to the fire and refilled it from a leather flask hanging  
there. Sitting back down she noticed his expression. "I know sir, but  
it's okay. You're tired."

"You're right, I am." He gave her an impish grin. "I won't tell  
anyone."

"So what was that at the end of the speech? Do we have a new status or  
has the mission changed?" Carter had picked up on the announcements. 

"Well, we're clan members now, we have new names and we're gonna kick  
some Gould butt when they show up." He leaned over to look at Daniel  
who was sitting quietly with an empty plate in his hand. 

Carter got up and went over to him. "Want something more, Daniel?"

"Uh gee, no Sam." He smiled up at her. "I'm just really tired."

"I'll bet." She glanced back to O'Neill. "New names? What are they?"

Daniel pronounced them for her, and explained their significance. But  
he was running down fast and she could see the Colonel wasn't far  
behind. "Look, why don't you go back to the camp and pull some rack  
time, Sir?" She smiled at their expressions. "You two look done in."

O'Neill stretched and nodded to Daniel. "Okay, come on Coyote-boy.  
Let's hit the den for the day."

"Okay, heap big Grey Wolf." Jackson slowly got up from the log he had  
been sitting on. "You'll get no argument from me." 

As the two men trudged down the trail, Sam could overhear O'Neill asking  
for the date and time so he could write it down as the occurence when  
'he got no argument from Dr. Daniel Jackson.' She shook her head and  
followed Crow Woman into the village to help her with some errand.

*******************

Chapter 5

When the two men returned to their campsite down from the Indian  
Village, they took a moment to relax out side their tents for a few  
moments. Daniel stirred up the embers to start a small fire. then  
started the preparation of a fresh pot of coffee using his supply of  
Columbian blend. O'Neill settled down on the log to watch his younger  
friend. 

After the coffee was done to his satisfaction, Jackson poured himself  
and Jack each a cup. He then sat down next to his friend. "One of the  
signs of civilization Jack." The archeologist mused. "A good cup of  
coffee is indicative of a great society at its pinnacle."

O'Neill smiled over at him. "Does Kousuf make a good cup of coffee?"  
Referring to Daniel's Abydonian 'father'.

"Kousuf's coffee could keep this tribe and it herbal teas awake for a  
decade." Daniel smiled, thinking of the old man. "He has a type of  
coffee that's almost Turkish, thick, rich. A true liqueur of caffeine."  
Daniel studied the contents of his cup. "It was one of the first things  
that I think we really agreed on." They sat a while in companionable  
silence. Then O'Neill glanced over at his best friend.

"How do you feel now?"

Daniel had the grace to look embarrassed. "You were right. I  
shouldn't have done the vision thing." He shrugged. "If you hadn't  
been there, I'd have gone off that cliff." He looked up at his friend.  
"Thanks Jack, again."

O'Neill shrugged his shoulders. "You don't know that, it didn't happen.  
Besides, that's why I was there, to make sure it didn't." He reached  
over and patted Daniel on his bare knee. "You just can't predict what  
the mind will do while under the influence of drugs. Sometimes it's  
fun. Most of the time, it's not." He looked steadily at Daniel. "Just  
don't do it again, or I will kick your butt all the way back to Cheyenne  
Mountain." 

"You have a deal." The scientist stared into the flickering embers of  
the morning fire then glanced towards his tent. "I think I'm going to  
catch some of that rack time Sam suggested."

"Me too," Jack poured the rest of his coffee out and the two men rose  
and found their respective bedrolls.

*******************

Late that afternoon, Col Jack O'Neill emerged from his tent. He stood  
up straight and stretched to the full extent of his six foot two inches  
in height. He stopped and smiled when the last vertebra popped back  
into it's accustomed place. Looking around the campsite, he was very  
pleased to see all of his team members present and accounted for.  
Carter was sitting next to Jackson, smiling up at him, obviously pleased  
that he was in such a good mood. Teal'c was involved in doing something  
arcane to his staff weapon, probably in preparation for the soon-to-come  
appearance of the 'False Gods'. Daniel however looked a bit worse for  
wear. "Evening everybody. How Ya doin', Danny?" 

"Hung over." He managed to raise his head up to reply to Jack's  
moderately spoken question about his state of health, but he dropped it  
back into the vapors of a maximum cup of coffee that he was nursing. 

O'Neill bent over to look at his friend, and laid a friendly hand on  
Daniel's shoulder. "Next time you'll listen to your Uncle Jack." Danny  
nodded obediently. 'O'Neill glanced at Carter. "Ya see, just say no."

Sam just shook her head. "You don't have to tell me. Jacob Carter  
didn't raise any foolish children." Daniel raised his head up and  
looked at her mournfully. She giggled. He made a face at her.

O'Neill picked up his mug from where he had left it earlier in the day  
and poured himself a fresh cup of coffee. "I'm just glad we're still  
all here and in one piece." He turned to Teal'c who looked at him  
expectantly. "So, what's been going on with you guys?"

The evening passed peacefully for the team. News and observations were  
shared between the members. MREs, with time to be properly prepared for  
a change, were eaten and enjoyed. And the coffee flowed into the late  
hours. Plans were made to attempt a sit-rep back to SGC if the  
Stargate cleared from its fluctuations. Teal'c had attempted to report  
back once but whomever was trying to dial in kept 'disconnecting' the  
DHD after only a few of the symbols had been activated. Hammond must  
be at least concerned as they had missed two time windows for their  
'phone home' attempts. But whoever kept displacing their signal had  
been, at the least, successful in blocking the outgoing wormhole.  
Carter had a theory that the source of the incoming wormhole could  
possibly be slightly out of alignment with this planet's gate. That  
would explain the constant attempts to open the God's Mouth. But sooner  
or later, it would open and it was up to the Tribe and SG1 to deny the  
enemy their ground. 

After several hours of planning and discussion, with the full moon high  
in the night sky, the last of the coffee was finished and all that could  
be said was spoken, the four found their way to their tents and their  
bedrolls to spend another Stargate night.

*******************

Jack came out of his tent early the next morning. Carter had the late  
guard and had already made the coffee. She greeted him with a cup as he  
sat down on the log they were using as a bench.

"Teal'c is still asleep but Daniel left with Painted Face at 0430 this  
morning." She reported to him as he bit down on his nutrition bar and  
grimaced.

Jack turned to face her with both eyebrows raised to his hairline. "Our  
Daniel?" He shook his head. "Must have been something fascinating."

Sam smiled over at him as she sipped her cup. "He said, and I quote 'A  
once in a lifetime opportunity'."

O'Neill rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Geez, now I am worried.  
Did he give you more of a hint than that?"

"No Sir" She replied. "But he borrowed my sunscreen."

"Oh, so he was wearing..."

"Yes Sir, his uh...thong."

"Oh, well. At least he won't get sunburned." Finishing his breakfast,  
he cleaned his coffee mug and stowed it back in his pack. O'Neill then  
pulled out his 9MM pistol and gave it a quick cleaning. Next he checked  
it's magazine and extra clips. A thought occurred to him and he looked  
over at his blond second in command. "Did Daniel take his side arm with  
him?"

Carter ducked her head and shook it as she dumped out the last of her  
coffee. "He said he'd only lose it, but" She looked up at her CO. "I  
made him take my Randall knife that Dad had made for me, the one with  
the sheath." She held up Jackson's Swiss Army Knife. "I told him if  
he wasn't going to take his pistol, to at least take a real knife."

"Thank you." Jack grunted. "At least he's got something with him." He  
got up off the log bench and went over to Jackson's tent. Sam heard him  
unzip Daniel's pack and rummage around in it. Jack came back out with  
the Archeologist's 9 Millimeter and his six clips. He sat back down on  
the log and disassembled the weapon. After giving it a good cleaning he  
rebuilt it and laid it down on his makeshift bench. Then Jack checked,  
cleaned and completely loaded all six clips, pushing one up into the  
pistol's magazine handle. He shoved it back into its holster and he  
looked up to see Carter watching him. She tried not to notice his  
concern for their missing teammate.

O'Neill shook his head at her. "It's not funny."

"No, Colonel. It's not." Sam agreed with him. While she had been  
amused at Jack's proprietary manner with Daniel's equipment, the younger  
man's casual attitude about his weaponry was not humorous. It had, in  
fact, been a long-time bone of contention between the two men.

"What is not funny? Major Carter?" Teal'c had come out of his tent and  
sat down beside her. He tore open the wrapper on his breakfast bar.  
"Where is Danieljackson?"

"Ah, yes. There in lies the rub, Teal'c." O'Neill answered sourly.  
"He's with Painted Face, again." .

"You are angry." Teal'c commented.

Jack stood up and belted on his weapon in its normal location around his  
waist. He then followed suit with Daniel's piston and holster on the  
other side of his waist. "I'm...unhappy. I'm sure he had a good reason  
to go running off with his friend, the Tribal Shaman. Well, for him  
anyway. I just wish he had told me what his 'good reason' was, this  
time."

Teal'c looked up at his Commander. "You are worried."

O'Neill picked up his fatigue shirt and slung it over his shoulder.  
"Yea, I'm worried." Jack groused. "Why does he insist on doing these  
things without telling us what the heck he's doing?"

Sam looked up at O'Neill. "He's Daniel. I know that's not a good  
reason, Sir. It's just the only one I can come up with."

Teal'c nodded. "Indeed."

After dousing their campfire, securing their gear and cleaning their  
campsite, the three remaining member of SG1 headed back to the village.

*******************

The tribe was busy as proverbial bees. If anything the atmosphere in  
the encampment had risen to a feverish lever. Children were running,  
carrying bundles while the women were working, preparing food and  
supplies for the upcoming battle.

O'Neill spotted Grey Badger sitting in his doorway. Crow Woman was  
standing next to him talking with great animation. He replied with a  
calming tone that definitely did not solve her problem. Crow Woman  
yelled something, threw her hands up in the air, turned on her heel and  
stalked off.

The Colonel whispered over his shoulder. "I don't think that needs any  
translation."

Sam shook her head. "No, sir."

O'Neill looked back in her direction. "Reminds me of the O'Neill  
family, circa 1956. Well, let's ask him about our boys." Jack  
approached the old chieftain.

The tribal elder greeted him with a smile and a wave. "Ho, Jack."

"Ho, Grey Badger!" He smiled at the use of his name by the old man. He  
asked in a combination of English, Indian and hand signals. "Where are  
Painted Face and Daniel?"

The chief replied in kind, speaking his own language and using the same  
signals to fill in the gap. "They have gone ________________ with the  
other young warriors to bring the ___________________." Jack shook his  
head, at the language gap.

"When are they coming back?"

An adolescent boy came running up and stood waiting, breathing hard, to  
be permitted to speak. Grey Badger nodded to him and listened intently.  
He then looked back at O'Neill and replied in their pidgin "before  
tomorrow at high sun, or it will be too late."

"Too late, why?" This didn't sound good at all to O'Neill.

"The God's Mouth speaks often now. The watchers think the False God  
will come tomorrow."

The Commander in O'Neill came forward immediately. "What would you like  
us to do to help you get prepared?"

"You must prepare your warriors for battle, Grey Wolf. When you have  
done for yourselves, then do as before in the valley. Tomorrow morning  
go to the Canyon walls and we will wait together to fight the false  
god."

"O'Neill nodded in agreement, then returned to the remainder of his  
team.

"What's going on sir?" Carter asked.

"They think the Goa'uld are coming tomorrow. Grey Badger wants us to  
get locked and loaded then help the village get ready if we can."

Teal'c asked. "Does the chief know where Danieljackson has gone?"

Jack nodded. "Daniel and the other young warriors have gone to get the  
big secret weapon from the, uh beyond the...out there somewhere." He  
looked at Teal'c. "It seems that we'll finally find out what 'it' is."

The big man nodded. "Their reason the Goa'uld have not conquered these  
people."

"All I can say is, if the only other options we have are the rocks, bows  
and arrows, Daniel had better be on time or we're in a heap big pile of  
trouble.

*******************

Late that afternoon Painted Face and his group of eight young warriors  
(one suspiciously pale) arrived at the top of a small hill. As they  
looked over a huge green prairie land, Daniel could see what appeared to  
be an ocean of large brown woolly beasts. Bison, hundreds of them, were  
grazing placidly on the tall green grasses. But more startlingly, off  
to the right, he could see a herd of tough little Mustang horses  
grazing. Daniel stared at the Indian ponies in amazement. When the men  
approached the small group of herdsmen, the ponies calmly raised their  
heads from grazing to watch the approaching humans. 

Painted Face called out to announce their presence to the other band of  
warriors. "Ho, the camp. Ho, Two Spears."

"Ho, Painted Face. Ho, warriors."

"The God's Mouth awakens. We must bring the beasts."

Two Spears had gotten up from the campfire to welcome the newcomers. He  
nodded. "You men rest the night. We will gather the horses in the  
morning and leave before first light." He saw the pale face in the  
crowd. "Ho Coyote, why are you here?"

Painted Face answered for him. "Coyote has come to help us bring in the  
Big Humps."

"Can he ride the sacred horses?" Two Spears asked his Shaman.

Daniel answered for himself. "I've ridden horses since I was four years  
old on the plains of Egypt. I'm a little rusty, but I think I can  
manage." He looked at Painted Face and said in a low voice. "I didn't  
know you had horses." 

The shaman smiled at him, and answered quietly. "Then there are still  
things we must teach you, my brother."

If Two Spears overheard the comments, he chose to ignore them. "Then  
welcome, young Shaman." The Chief clapped Daniel on the shoulder then  
pulled him into a hug and spoke in his ear. "Just don't break your neck  
or Grey Wolf will try to break mine." He pulled back still gripping  
his shoulder and grinned at him.

"Don't worry. I won't, or he'll definitely break mine. 

The band of newly arrived warriors settled down at the campfire for a  
few hours of sleep before the daunting task of trying to drive several  
thousand wild buffalo over twenty miles in the morning.

*******************

It was barely light, just as the sun was coming up and breaking into the  
beginning of the valley, Daniel awoke to the sounds of the camp. He  
stood up and stretched, wishing desperately for a cup of something hot.  
Painted Face handed him a piece of dried meat and a gourd of cold water.  
He tried to smile. It didn't take.

Two Spears had been watching the exchange between the two young men from  
his seat by the fire. He got up and called out to one of his warriors.  
"Lone Arrow, catch the spotted mare and put a rein on her for Coyote."  
He turned back to his white friend. "She is strong and fearless, and  
sure on her feet. She will carry you safe. Eat now while we prepare  
the herd to be moved." He turned and followed the rest of his men to  
the horses.

Daniel turned to Painted Face who was sitting next to him chewing his  
own breakfast. "We're going to drive the buff... uh big-humps into the  
canyon to the God's Mouth when the False Gods come through?"

Painted Face grinned at him. "Yes. Nothing can withstand them. They  
are our strength, a gift from the Great Spirit."

"Yes, a very valuable one." Daniel hesitated. "Very valuable to risk."

"This is so friend." The Shaman sighed. "But we risk everything each  
time the God's Mouth opens and the evil ones come. If we fail, many  
people will suffer."

Daniel looked confused. "How many more? Your village is small."

"Yes," Painted Face replied. "Our village is small, but our tribe is  
many." His face then cleared, realizing that Coyote did not know the  
truth. "You think our village is all of our people?"

"Well, yes. Isn't it?" Then he realized the scope of his  
misunderstanding. He had been so wrong about this culture from the very  
beginning. It was time he corrected his wrong assumptions.

Painted Face smiled at his friend's changing expression. "Now you  
understand. We are only a small village. It is our turn to guard the  
God's Mouth. We have been here for ten moons. In four more, another  
village will take our place. When you and your band of warriors came  
through the God's Mouth we spoke to your War Chief through you. But we  
watched all of you and we saw your truth is as ours. Grey Badger is a  
wise chief, we accepted you and you have been one with us. You took  
your Spirit Quest with me and your vision was true. See, here it is.  
You and Grey Wolf, She Lion and Great Bear have come to help us."

"But you didn't need our help." Daniel spoke, shaking his head. "You  
will win with or without us." He indicated the great herd. "The Great  
Spirit gave you the way."

"This time, my friend. But you know how they can come at anytime."  
Painted Face reached out and laid his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "You  
know the pain of losing your loved family." Daniel nodded silently as  
the Shaman continued. "We have used this ploy too many times. This  
time we will succeed because of you four. You have brought us great  
medicine with your powerful weapons, but we will need this help again."  
He stopped speaking and looked up at the tall shape who had come up  
beside them.

Two Spears sat down at the fire beside Painted Face. "My brother speaks  
words of wisdom. The last time the False Gods came, many of our people  
died. Others became skin-walkers. So the False ones now know of our  
secrets."

"I understand." Daniel looked thoughtfully into the flames. "There are  
several things that can be done, but I must first speak to my chief."

"Those are the words of a wise Shaman worthy of the name Coyote." He  
looked at Painted Face and smiled. The younger man smiled back,  
evidence of a similar discussion held many times before.

One of the other warriors came over to the trio. "The ponies are ready.  
I have caught the red spotted mare for Coyote and the clay-colored mare  
for Painted Face."

"It is good, and it is now time to leave. We have many beasts to move  
and we must be at the God's Mouth before the noon sun."

The majority of the braves had mounted their horses already and were  
quietly getting behind the huge herd of buffalo. Daniel followed  
Painted Face to the two mustangs that had been cut out for them.  
Painted Face greeted his mount by wrapping his arms around the Dun's  
neck and whispering in her ears. She rubbed her head on his chest and  
mumbled to him. Daniel approached the mare Two Spears had selected for  
him. She was approximately fourteen hands and 800 pounds. Basically a  
fox red with white roan spots scattered over her coat. The mare eyed  
him cautiously and sniffed his extended hand. "What is she called?"

"She is called Shefox." Painted Face swung up on his mount. "She will  
not buck but she is quick like the fox, and she will jump any barrier."  
He grinned at Daniel. "Hold on to her mane, she is used to it."

Daniel smiled back at his friend and swung his long legs over her back.  
Shefox shifted her feet, adjusting her stance and accepting his weight.  
He reached down and patted her shoulder. The mare flicked her ears,  
hearing his voice and judging his ability. He squeezed her sides and  
urged her forward, the mare stepping forward eagerly following the dun.  
Daniel picked up the single leather thong that was tied to her jaw.  
Painted Face moved up to ride beside him, watching Daniel fingering the  
single rein. "You must control her by leaning to the direction you want  
to go. Speed is with your legs and to stop, touch the leather lightly  
and speak to her with your weight."

Daniel nodded gratefully. "I'm used to a bridle with two reins." 

The Shaman nodded. "Squaw ponies are trained like that. Shefox is a  
hunting pony. This way allows a warrior to use his bow while on the  
run."

Daniel tried shifting his weight and feeling the horse's reactions to  
his leg cues. "I think I've got the idea and I can practice as we go. "  
He nodded to Painted Face. "I'll be all right; I don't want to hold  
anyone back so that we're too late."

"That is good." The Indian nodded. "The mare will take care of you."  
Painted Face urged his pony toward the herd. Shefox followed at an easy  
trot. Daniel shifted his weight to get more comfortable on the bare  
back of his mount.

*******************

O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c were posted on the edge of the Canyon  
overlooking the Stargate. The sentry warrior had sent out the alarm out  
two hours earlier. SG1 was fully armed with two M-50s, three 9-  
Millimeter pistols, a staff weapon and two zat guns. The Indian  
warriors were checking again their stockpile of weapons and building up  
the bonfires behind them.

Grey Badger was walking the cliffs, first speaking to his experienced  
warriors and then giving encouragement to some of the younger men.  
Finally, he approached SG1. "Ho, Jack."

"Ho Grey Badger." O'Neill smiled at the old War Chief and gave him the  
thumbs up that had become their 'all systems go' signal. He then signed  
the question "Any news on the young warriors?"

The Chief shook his head. He signed to listen then in a soft, low note  
he whistled a call. O'Neill nodded his understanding. The Chief gave  
the thumbs up back at them, chapped Jack on the back and went on down  
the line to more of his warriors.

O'Neill looked at Teal'c and Carter. "Well then, I guess we wait."

"Indeed O'Neill," The Jaffa warrior nodded. "The hardest thing of all."

Jack stretched his long legs out in front of him, leaning back on a pile  
of rocks. "Yea, been there, got the t-shirt, and wore it out all  
ready." He glanced back down at the Stargate, pulled his baseball cap  
over his eyes and waited.

*******************

Chapter 6

It was 0800 in the morning when the God's Mouth spoke. 

The Inner Wheel spun clockwise. The first chevron engaged 

The sentinel warriors alerted any that were unaware of the activity of  
the Stargate with a series of whoops. 

The Inner wheel spun counter clockwise. Chevron Two engaged.

The men already posted on the canyon walls stood excitedly, adding their  
voices to that of the Sentries.

The Inner wheel reversed itself and revolved into its next position.  
Chevron Three engaged.

Men further off continued the alarm with wooden whistles echoing down  
the canyon walls.

The Naquada circle rotated to the left. Chevron Four engaged.

Drummers at the furthest end, who relayed it by pulse beats to the  
village proper, picked up the shrilling and announced the occurrence to  
it's remaining occupants.

The Sun glinted off the beveled triangular embellishments of the ring.  
Chevron Five engaged.

. SG1 was on battlefield alert. They were poised on the edge of the  
canyon wall, Col O'Neill holding his Automatic Rifle easily in his arms,  
comfortable with an old friend. Teal'c stood next to his commander  
supporting his staff weapon at the horizontal in its firing position,  
it's head flared and glowing. Major Carter had her M50 at the shoulder  
ready position, safety off. 

The circle revolved again. Chevron Six engaged.

A lone warrior, name unknown to O'Neill, chosen either by draw or  
willing to risk death for a coup count, stepped forward to the base of  
the God's Mouth. His fate was to be the welcome voice of The People,  
or the legendary hero of a future round of Cycle Myths, depending upon  
who came through the God's Mouth, friend or False God.

The Sacred Circle spun full course and ground to a halt. Chevron Seven  
engaged. A virtual explosion of water poured itself out then sucked  
itself back into its wormhole void. A Golden Figure wearing the mailed  
armor and helmed headgear of Anubis the Jackal God emerged from the  
God's Mouth and halted for a moment in time. The First Prime surveyed  
the single warrior facing him. He spoke in the old language of the  
False Gods commanding the man to bow down to his God. The warrior  
shouted his war cry and charged, his war club held high in his hand.  
The Jaffa struck him down with a Zat Gun.

All hell broke loose!

On the Signal of their First Prime, Jaffa Warriors charged through the  
Stargate. They too were wearing full armor and in ranks of four wide.  
The Indians started their counter attack. The first circle of warriors  
stationed on Ground Zero charged forward with spears and war clubs. SG1  
started firing their automatic and power weapons. The hefty rocks that  
had been so carefully sized and stacked on the edge of the steep cliffs  
were thrown down on the enemy by the largest, most powerful of the  
warriors. They crashed down upon the continuing stream of Jaffa as they  
arrived unaware through the wormhole. This caused some disruption in  
the ranks and managed to incapacitate fighters and damaged some of the  
plate armor of the attacking enemy making them more vulnerable to the  
stone tipped weapons of the Indians.

The hundreds of leather sacks that the adolescent boys had doggedly  
carried up the cliff walls were also pitched down into the melee below.  
They burst open upon impact, splattering a black viscous liquid and the  
burning wood of the bonfires followed after, igniting the crude oil that  
the sacks had contained. This developed into an inferno of some  
substance, causing the charging Goa'uld warriors to be partially  
incapacitated and dampen their enthusiasm. Teal'c also discovered,  
accidentally, that his Staff weapon blast would cause ignition of the  
liquid. This added payoff was cashed in quickly and efficiently. The  
automatic weapons fire from the earth style projectile rifles and  
pistols were wielded successfully. The armor-piercing bullets performed  
in a manner worthy of the marksmanship skill of two Air Force Officers.  
Jaffa fell by the score, but more continued to arrive through the  
portal.

The problem was going to be, O'Neill noted to himself as he continued  
his support fire from his rocky aerie, was that whatever system lord  
this was, unless he was uncharacteristically stingy with the lives of  
his Jaffa's, the Good Guys would run out of men and ammo long before  
they ran out of enemies. He could see Grey Badger further down on the  
Canyon's edge, the old Chief exhorting his younger braves to continue to  
volley with their arrows and spears. These ranks, closer and more  
within range of the power weapons of the false god's army were beginning  
to take hits from below. O'Neill could see Teal'c, making his way over  
to them, trying to back the Chief up and fire support for the closest  
group, giving them a better defensive field. O'Neill had sent Carter  
down to the youngest warriors, further along the wall, covering a wider  
area of the Indian army with her M50 and the two 9mm pistols. There,  
under less pressure from the power weapons, she could use her superior  
marksmanship to pick off the survivors that had made it out of the upper  
canyon, just as the adolescent braves were using their bow and arrows.

O'Neill decided that once the initial crush had passed, he would try to  
get to the floor and retrieve as many of the power weapons as he could  
from the fallen enemy. These he could supply to the defenders with  
little or no instructions and provide the Indians with equal firepower  
to turn on their enemies. He considered any salvageable weapons spoils  
of war and to be put to their advantage. The problem however was that  
there were more Jackal heads coming than Indians left with rock, oil and  
arrows. To prevent a rout, he was going to have to start this 'plan'  
before the encroaching tide of Jaffa had reached its possible crest. 

After he emptied his M50's final clip he made his move. Listening to  
the battle with half an ear, he started his descent on to the floor. He  
tucked in behind some of the large boulders descending into the canyon  
floor and slipped down through the crevasses. Grey Badger had noticed  
his change of position and was watching, trying to see what Chief Gray  
Wolf could be up to. By now O'Neill had reached the canyon floor, and  
he hung back in the shadows of the man-sized boulders that littered the  
ground at its edge. Less than six feet away lay the body of a Jaffa,  
helmet still attached. Jack had the irrational thought that the empty  
golden eyes of the helmet could still see him, even though he knew the  
solder inside was dead. He could see the zatniketel lying by the  
deceased owner's gauntleted glove. He holstered his 9MM pistol and  
checked his surroundings for incoming bad guys, then dashed out into the  
arena, rolling across the dirt and coming up with the zat gun. He  
popped up and made a break back for the shelter of the rocks. Jack  
noticed the old chief watching him from above when he made it back to  
safety, he raised up to wave Grey Badger, then motioned him to send  
someone down. 

Within seconds a young warrior was at O'Neill 's side. He put the power  
weapon in the Indian's hand. At the brave's non-comprehending look, He  
took the zat back and pointed it into the crush of Jaffa's in front of  
their place of concealment. He pressed the lever trigger and fired at  
an oncoming Jackal guard. The resulting blast of the weapon while in  
O'Neill's hand was an emotional catharsis for the warrior. He looked at  
O'Neill again, his question apparent, 'Show me how!' Jack grinned  
wolfishly and shoved the gun in his hand and pointed at the triggering  
mechanism. He put the warrior's hand on the zat's gun butt and cupped  
it in his own. Together they fired and the first Jaffa fell to an  
Amerindian with a power weapon. Two times O'Neill fired. Twice he  
said, wordlessly. Twice is dead.

The other men in the canyon who was witness to the action whooped their  
approval. As they began to run out of their own stockpiles of ammo,  
they descended onto the floor in search of more of the discarded power  
guns.

Farther over in the Canyon, Teal'c had witnessed the actions of his  
Colonel and had not only followed suit with the cast off weapons of the  
guards but had taken the lead in the forays into the fighting itself.  
With the Indians' supply of traditional weapons now depleted, he and his  
band of the older, larger men had also started to pick up the staff  
weapons as well as the zats. The fighting was rapidly deteriorating  
into hand-to-hand now with some of the power weapons charges already  
expended. New ones arrived with the continuously incoming Jaffas, but  
the defenders were taking them from their attackers with their  
determined and highly superior unarmed combat experience.

Farther down the canyon, Carter and 'her' group was also spending their  
accumulation of ammunition. The actual fighting was more sparse down  
this far so she had deployed her band of twenty or so adolescent  
warriors across the valley to stop any escaping or encroaching jackal  
heads from making it into the village proper. Only a few had picked up  
on the Colonel's new arms trade agreement with the incoming enemy,  
meaning 'there are new arms and we'll take them'. Some of her young  
warriors were still fairly well armed with the powerful short bows and  
flint headed arrows. These could actually pierce the leather junctures  
of the armor, injuring and sometimes killing the man inside. And as  
always, a Jaffa down was pretty much a Jaffa out, the armors weight a  
definite hindrance to an injured man.

*******************

Several miles away, Painted Face sat up straight on his claybank pony's  
back. The trip in from the prairie was taking longer than they had  
anticipated. The big humps were slow and not inclined to move fast nor  
did they want to be taken away from their pasturage. The other braves  
were also unsatisfied with their progress. He looked back at his new  
clan brother, Coyote. The pale-skinned shaman had continued to press  
the beasts on just as hard as anyone. Two Spears had wondered earlier  
how the other man could endure much hardship, as it had been obvious  
that he was not used to riding a spirit horse for such a long distance.

Daniel Jackson saw the Shaman looking back at him, and he urged the mare  
he was riding up alongside the other man. "How much longer till we  
reach the village?"

"Maybe another hour at this speed." Painted Face shook his head. 

Daniel took a look at the huge herd of beasts that plodded along.  
"Painted Face, this is too slow."  
The Shaman frowned. The young archeologist pressed his advantage. "I  
think we must stampede them now." 

Two Spears rode along side of them. "I hear you speak Coyote, but too  
soon and we will lose many beasts."

Painted Face took Daniels's side in the argument. "I would rather lose  
the whole herd than be too late for our village." Two Spears opened his  
mouth to speak when they saw a warrior rapidly riding back towards them  
from the front of the herd, scattering buffalo as he came. 

"Two Spears, " he shouted. "We are hearing loud noises on the wind  
coming from the Canyon of the God's Mouth."

The Daniel kneed his horse forward at a trot and shouted back. "What  
kind of noise?" 

"Like a log breaking in the fire." Came the answer. "And there is  
black smoke in the air."

Jackson turned to look over his shoulder. "War sounds. " He yelled  
back at the Chief. "They are here! We must go now!"

Two Spears and Painted Face saw his truth and nodded. The Chief whooped  
at the rest of the warriors. "Now...Now we must go." He spun his horse  
around and galloped back to the rear of the herd. The other Indians on  
their wiry mustangs started pushing and yelling at the great herd of  
buffalo to get them excited enough to run. 

While Daniel Jackson knew little or nothing about driving Buffalo, much  
less tired, hungry and thirsty ones, he did know what the alternative  
would be for the village if they arrived too late. He guided Shefox to  
the edge of the herd and pulled her to a stop by a stand of sapling  
trees. He reached down with the survival knife that Sam had talked him  
into carrying and cut off several of the slender trunks making them  
about five feet long. He collected a score of these and returned to the  
other men. The little mare skittered across the floor with him as they  
carried this odd burden to the other riders. Daniel insisted that each  
man take one of the leafy poles. When all but the last one was  
delivered, he pushed the game little horse back into the herd. Then he  
began flailing around about himself and his mount with the lash and  
yelling as loudly as he could. This immediately panicked the big humps  
into a faster trot then finally a gallop. Two Spears and his warriors  
saw and picked up the actions and the whole herd started to move forward  
at a much greater rate of speed. Finally Daniel waved at two other men  
and pushed their horses to the side of the herd and put pressure on the  
outside animals as well. As the herd's speed increased on the outside,  
the interior became more fluid and the whole mass of living power took  
off into a headlong stampede. 

Painted Face had understood Coyote's sense of urgency when Two Spears  
had not. Daniel had spoken to him fully of his old tribe's tragedy and  
the loss of his beloved wife. So when the young man had joined the  
leading edge of riders guiding and forcing the beasts into greater  
speed; the shaman knew why his clan brother would do anything to prevent  
this from happening to their village.

*******************

Within the canyon walls, the battle had been reduced to one-on-one  
combat and struggle over the possession of the Jaffa's weapons. When  
the Warriors of the village found out that they could make the magic  
work by pushing/pulling the levers of the weapons of the False Gods they  
lost what superstitious fears they had and went for the guns. O'Neill  
could see Teal'c marshalling his 'troops' and keeping them from falling  
foul of Jaffa battle tactics. He'd lost sight of Carter, but knew she  
was further up the Canyon refusing the enemy the Line of March into the  
village itself. He could still hear sounds of gunfire from her  
direction. The group that had gathered under his 'command' were holding  
the middle ground and were engaged in direct personal fighting with  
fresh Jaffa who continued to pour through the Stargate. It had closed  
it's wormhole twice but had reopened to continually supply the invading  
Goa'uld forces. He desperately wished he could see the other group  
fighting under Grey Badger. He had lost about half his own men and knew  
that Teal'c had also taken high losses and sustained some injuries to  
his own person. It was becoming just a matter of time and numbers of  
how many more jackal-heads came through the 'gate' until the Canyons'  
defenses fell. He wiped the sweat and blood from his eyes; he had  
taken a glancing blow to the forehead from a spent staff; its owner had  
been so surprised when it had failed to fire the Jaffa had just swung it  
at him in frustration. As O'Neill had been rocked back on his heels by  
the blow, one of the Indians fighting with his group had plunged a spear  
into his assailant from the rear, grinned at him then turned and ran  
back into the melee of battle.

There had been victory and tragedy. The Jaffa warriors were taking  
terrible losses, but every advantage the Indian warriors had gained, the  
timing was such that inevitably the Stargate reopened to feed the war-  
zone more fresh combatants. Now again, as Jack had feared, he heard the  
Chevrons start to activate and lock. This was the fourth wave. They  
were out of ammunition, they were running out of men and he was out of  
ideas. He looked around for Grey Badger's group. He thought he could  
see them through the dust. Maybe it would be better to join the two  
bands of fighting men to try to delay the new army about to arrive on  
the field.

As the Stargate surged into life, O'Neill hollered at his surviving men.  
As they looked to him, he indicated the activity and they prepared to  
cross the field of battle to join their forces with the other band.  
Then something strange started to happen. The ground started to  
vibrate, more than just from the wormhole activation. Jack thought he  
heard the high pitched shrilling of the bone whistles in the background,  
but while he couldn't be certain of what it was, he was sure of the  
effect that this new sound was having on the Indians. They were  
jubilant, whooping the war cry and looking for unspent zat-guns. Hell,  
they were picking up their stone-headed spears and pressing back into  
the attack. He didn't know what it was, or why it was happening but  
he'd use it. He picked up a second zat and stuck it in his belt. Then,  
when he turned to look down the canyon he saw them.

At first, it was just a dark brown wave of dust in the air, not clear or  
defined. Then as it got closer, individual animals began to take shape.  
Buffalo, big buffalo, lots of big buffalo were pouring into the  
battlefield, taking down everything trees, boulders, and Jaffas  
warriors. They came like a flood from a broken dam, a river out of its  
banks, a miracle from heaven. Flanking this mass movement of muscle and  
hair were Indians on Horseback with war paint, slender rod whips and  
some even with the powerful short hunting bows. And there in the big  
middle of it all was Daniel Jackson, Archeologist and Miracle Maker!  
The Secret Weapon had arrived with authority.

O'Neill started yelling at his men, at Teal'c and at the other band of  
warriors he could just see through the dust across the battlefield.  
Once he'd gotten their attention and they understood what was about to  
happen the good guys headed back to the edge of the Canyon's floor. By  
the time the stampeding herd had passed them most of the men had reached  
safety. The Jaffa, however, didn't have a clue or a chance in Hades.

The Jaffa reinforcements that had been sent through the wormhole were  
totally disoriented by the Gate travel. They had probably assumed that  
they would emerge on a battlefield where only a mopping up action would  
be required. Instead they walked out into a maelstrom of flesh, muscle  
and bone and were being run over. But to their credit, the enemy was  
still fighting. 

From his vantage point on top of a boulder, Teal'c could see the great  
beasts as they stampeded down the canyon towards them. He now  
understood what had defended these people for the centuries. No  
creature, Tauri, Jaffa or Goa'uld could withstand such a charge. He  
hoped that his teammates were safely out of harms way, as the herd would  
not differentiate from friend or foe. He saw the Jaffa Prime for this  
attack group split his forces at the end and attempt to guide them to a  
more defensible position headed away from the Chappa'i'. Then he saw  
O'Neill mount an offensive action from his direction. Leading the  
charge of Indians on foot from their rock fortress, they were firing the  
confiscated zatniketel and one or two staff weapons. The Colonel turned  
to encourage and direct his troops when Teal'c saw the Prime identify  
him as the leader and direct his own weapon's fire at the Taur'i.  
Teal'c tried to fire his own staff weapon at the Jaffa, but it had been  
spent and when he took the zat from the warrior next to him it also  
failed. All he could do was roar his dismay as he saw O'Neill take the  
Staff blast full on the back and fall. 

Daniel was clinging to the mane of the red mare with all his remaining  
strength. Once they entered the funnel walls of the canyon and the  
animals got the smell of blood in their nostrils there was no more  
controlling them than the wormhole effect itself. Shefox was living up  
to her reputation of surefootedness. If the little horse hadn't been so  
agile they would have long ago been run into the ground by the great  
stampeding herd. But she held her feet and stayed in the flow of  
animals. He thought he had caught sight of Sam with a group of young  
men halfway up on the cliffs as they had passed under them farther down  
the canyon. Then Shefox and the leading edge of the herd passed Teal'c  
and some other Indian braves fighting against Jaffa warriors on the  
canyon floor. He knew that he had to try to work his way to the edge of  
the stampeding herd or they would be running right down into the  
Stargate itself. Daniel was not sure what would happen to flesh and  
blood when it tried to enter a wormhole the wrong way but he didn't want  
to be the first human test subject. The mare was trying to force her  
way to the outside at his insistence when Jackson caught a glimpse of  
O'Neill and a group of about twenty or so warriors engaging a group of  
Jaffa in hand to hand fighting. Before he could get to the edge, he  
was swept past the small engagement not yet able to break free of the  
buffalo herd. 

When Chief Grey Wolf fell to the magic weapons of the enemy, the  
warriors who had followed him went berserk. Foregoing the evil medicine  
of the False Gods, they literally fell upon the foes with knives, spears  
and bare hands. The few Jaffa warriors that had made it out of the mad  
crush fell beneath them without another major blow being struck.  
Helmets ripped off and bodies disemboweled the forces of the False Gods  
fell yet again in the canyon of desert winds, high granite spires and  
mighty buffalo.

Teal'c had started towards his fallen leader as soon as the great herd  
had passed. He saw Daniel Jackson on his fiery colored horse  
galloping back in their direction. He paused a moment holding back some  
of the warriors to allow the young man to get to the side of his fallen  
friend. As Jackson rode up, the warriors parted and allowed the Coyote  
to approach where his chief lay. Then Daniel leaped/fell from his mount  
and ran to O'Neill's side, crouching in the dirt beside him. 

"Jack! God, Jack!" Daniel knelt over him, hesitating a second, afraid  
to touch, to confirm his worst fears. O'Neill lay where he had fallen,  
crumpled on his side facing upwards, blood pooling under his neck and  
shoulders. But when he laid his hand on O'Neill's forehead. Jack  
managed to open his eyes to look up at him. "Jack, can you hear me?"

Teal'c had also arrived almost immediately and pushed his way through  
the crowd of silent warriors. "Danieljackson, is he alive?" 

"Hey." Jack's voice was breathless, gasping. "Made it back." A  
statement of confidence barely heard by his friend.

Daniel leaned down to hear him better. "Yea. We made it back. Jack,  
can you feel anything?"

O'Neill gasped for a breath, then coughed painfully. "Peachy... what  
happened? Don' member."

Teal'c knelt next to his commander. "O'Neill, you were struck by a  
staff blast." He grasped the injured man's arm. "Can you feel this?"

"Sorda, feel numb." Jack could see by the look in Danny's eyes that it  
was serious. "Bad?"

Jackson tried unsuccessfully to keep his voice calm. "Bad enough,  
Jack." He hated what must come next. "Jack, we have to move you to  
look at the wound, to see how bad it is." 

"Know that." It was occurring to O'Neill just how much this was going  
to hurt, or maybe not. He wasn't sure which he preferred at this time,  
the extreme pain he should be feeling or the numbness that seemed to be  
moving over him. "Can't breath."

Teal'c nodded. "The weapons blast may have damaged your nerves. It is  
a common result." He grasped the Colonel's shoulders. "I am going to  
lift you as carefully as I can. We must look at the wound to determine  
its severity." 

O'Neill 's eyes met his, and he nodded, understanding. He knew what had  
to be done. He spoke breathlessly. "Tell Carter, in charge." The big  
warrior nodded at his friend. He did not mention that he hadn't seen  
the Major since the end of the battle. They would find her later.

Painted Face had come to the small group of men, in his search for  
Coyote. When he realized the situation, the Shaman had sent one of the  
mounted braves back to the village to get assistance for Grey Wolf.  
Chief Grey Badger had already been escorted back. The elder statesman  
had been exhausted by the battle, though he had not been wounded. Many  
warriors of the tribe had taken the long journey to their final hunt  
while counting coup from their great battle. Many more were carrying  
Honor Marks from their enemies. He was not sure how these new clan  
brothers viewed their honorable wounds, but their brave Fire Stories  
were many and worth much loud telling.

As came to his friends, Painted Face could see the anguish in Coyote's  
eyes. He knew from their long talks that the young Shaman had been  
alone most of his life and when he had found someone he could honor they  
had always been taken from him. Great Bear was there with the younger  
man, but Mountain Lion Woman; his sister was not there. The tribe's  
medicine man knelt down with the three clan brothers. Great Bear was  
gently turning Grey Wolf onto his side so they could see his body's  
wound. It was indeed severe; for a handspan all the cloth was burned  
away as if by a lightening strike. The skin underneath was burned away  
also and the flesh itself blackened.. The chief had not lost much blood  
for the wound had been sealed shut by the very thing that injured him,  
the great power of the False Gods weapons. Painted Face looked at Wise  
Coyote and Great Bear. "We must carry him to my lodge. There, he can  
rest and I will try to heal him."

Coyote looked at him with his wise sky eyes. "No offense, my friend,  
but this is too great a wound. I think we must go back through the  
God's Mouth to let our own medicine treat him."

"There is no offense, clan brother." The young Shaman spoke. "But can  
he live through the great journey?" He shook his head. "Our legends  
say it is not an easy thing to walk in the God's Mouth. Can one of you  
not go back and bring the medicine here. We will shelter him while you  
go."

Coyote nodded in understanding. "You speak truth." He turned to Great  
Bear and spoke in their language. "Teal'c, Jack may not survive the  
trip through the Stargate like this. Let's get him to camp and one of  
us can go back and get Medical assistance for him." 

"Agreed. Now that the Chappa'i is secured, that would be wise." The  
Jaffa nodded. "Also, whoever stays can locate Major Carter." At  
Daniel's surprised look he explained. "We were separated during the  
battle. I have not seen her since."

Some of the women appeared from the village carrying long poles and  
blankets. They immediately set about putting together a litter with  
these that would allow Grey Wolf to be carried in greater comfort than  
that of men's hands. Within minutes it was ready and Teal'c and Daniel  
carefully lifted their commander and friend onto the stretcher. Once he  
was secured onto the litter, two of the warriors took their places and  
lifted it starting off towards the distant village as carefully and  
smoothly as they could. 

The remaining two members of SG1stopped for a moment to discuss the trip  
back. Teal'c spoke first. "I will go to SCG, Danieljackson. I will  
brief Generalhammond and bring the medical staff back to assist  
O'Neill." He raised his hand to silence Daniel. "You will be able to  
locate Majorcarter while I am gone. Go with O'Neill now and care for  
him. I will bring assistance." 

Daniel nodded, unable to speak. Teal'c clasped his hand then turned and  
walked towards the DHD and home.

*******************

Chapter 7

Twenty-eight levels below Cheyenne Mountain, Earth's Stargate activated.  
The Chevrons engaged and Sgt Siler's voice called out the phrase. "Off  
world activation! Incoming Code...SG1.

Major General Hammond had already started his journey down the catwalk  
into the gateroom when he realized that only one member of the team had  
come through the wormhole. He waived off the Security Forces that had  
automatically posted, then continued up the ramp to greet Teal'c.

The alien warrior was taking this moment to adjust to his arrival and to  
prepare to deliver his report. He knew General Hammond was already  
worried about his overdue team, this would not make him any happier.

"Teal'c, where is the rest of SG1?"

The big man gravely bowed his head in respect. "They are still on  
p2x42753. I have come to bring medical assistance back for Colonel  
O'Neill. He is gravely injured and would not have survived the journey  
without medical support procedures. Danieljackson remained with him.  
Also, Major Carter's location is unknown at this time."

Hammond digested the succinct report, then turned and gave the  
instructions to muster a Medical Team." Dr Fraiser had just entered the  
gateroom. She paused. "What type of injury, Teal'c?"

"A Staff Weapon blast to the upper torso."

With this information, she turned on her heel and ran back down the  
hallway calling out instructions to her unit.

The General eyed the big man noticing the blood on his uniform. "Son,  
are you injured?"

Teal'c acknowledged it but only said. "It is of no consequence,  
General. O'Neill's injury is much more pressing and I must escort the  
medical personnel to him."

"What the hell happened, Teal'c?"

"We had gated onto a world that was preparing for an attack by the  
Goa'uld. We were cut off due to wormhole instability and became  
involved in the native population's defense activities. Colonel O'Neill  
was injured during the battle and Major Carter had not been seen since  
its' beginning."

"The battle is over, you say?" Hammond had a thoughtful look in his  
eye. 

"Yes, General. The Goa'uld were badly beaten and driven back through  
the Stargate." Teal'c replied. "When I left, the 'mop-up' operations  
were still ongoing but the gate was secure."

"Does the civilian population need assistance?" The wheels were  
turning for General Hammond.

"They did sustain many casualties. I believe it would be welcome." 

"Very good, then." Hammond thought a moment. "Teal'c what level of  
civilization are these people? Are they more advanced than us?"

"No, General. Danieljackson called them a 'stone age' civilization."  
He tried to remember the archeologist's words. "They are transplanted  
from your own Southwestern United States. I believe he referred to them  
as the 'Anasazi'.

Hammond was shocked. "Indians! American Indians!"

Teal'c was surprised at his reaction. "They are great warriors with  
courage and intelligence. They fought free of the False Gods many years  
ago." Then he added. "And they have maintained their freedom with no  
outside intervention for centuries."

"Of, course, Teal'c. No offense meant." General Hammond made a  
decision. "Wait for me here, I'll be back in a few moments." The older  
man turned and ran/walked up to his office area.

In a short time the Medical Team had gathered all their equipment and  
were standing ready to deploy. General Hammond reappeared dressed in a  
Desert Camouflaged Uniform. He was giving orders to Major Davis as he  
went down the steps two at a time. "As I said, Davis. You'll be in  
charge until Lieutenant Colonel Meyers of SG2 returns from off world  
sometime tomorrow. If you have any problems, ask Sgt Siler's opinion.  
He's a good man and knows procedure."

Davis was running to keep up with the portly general. "General Hammond,  
I don't think this is such a good idea...."

Hammond came to a stop on the Gateroom floor. "I've already spoken to  
the President. He's aware of the situation. As I said any questions  
ask Siler or wait for Meyers." He looked up at the startled senior NCO  
in the control chair. "You hear me Siler?"

The gray haired Senior Master Sergeant grasped the microphone. "Yes,  
Sir."

"Very well," He glanced around at the personnel gathered on the floor  
around him. "Everyone ready?" At the team's nodded assent, he gave the  
order. "All right Sergeant. Activate the 'Gate."

*******************

Daniel followed the two braves that were carrying the stretcher with  
O'Neill back to the Indian Village. He was definitely sore and getting  
stiff from his long ride on Shefox bringing the buffalo in. He and the  
Indians had arrived in the proverbial nick of time with the herd to  
deliver the final blow to the Goa'uld's invasion of this peaceful world.  
But he knew it had been the brave sacrifice of many of their Indian  
friends that had bought them the time they needed to get the buffalo to  
the canyon. When he had passed Jack on horseback he had been elated to  
see that his friend had still been uninjured, but to his dismay when he  
managed to get his horse turned around O'Neill had been seriously  
wounded by one of the last shots of the war. A Jaffa Commander had  
managed to get a final shot off before his death and had struck Jack in  
the back with a blast from his Staff weapon. By some stroke of luck it  
had not been full strength and O'Neill had survived but with severe  
injuries. Then Daniel found out that Samantha Carter was missing in  
action. Teal'c had gone back through the Stargate to bring medical help  
for O'Neill. That left him to insure that Jack was properly cared for  
and to search for their missing teammate.

Upon entering the village, O'Neill was carried directly to Painted  
Face's Medicine lodge. The Shaman was already there, preparing  
treatment for Jack's wound. Jackson was torn between trusting his  
friend, the medicine man, and allowing him to treat the horrific wound  
or not allowing Painted Face to perform his healing 'medicine' and  
possibly alienating the man and his tribe. When they entered the  
village, Daniel had made his decision. He trusted Painted Face and if  
it had been himself lying there, he would have wanted the Medicine man  
to treat his wounds. He knew that the Indian would do his damnedest to  
help Jack/Chief Grey Wolf. Painted Face had already lit the fire  
outside of the small hut and was heating water in one of his precious  
'fired' clay pots off to the side of the blaze. The two strong men that  
had carried Jack's litter, bent down and managed to get it into the low  
door of the lodge without as much as jostling their passenger. Painted  
Face was on the other side of the room busy mixing something in a stone  
grinding bowl. He told the two men to place Grey Wolf on the pallet.  
Jackson moved in to assist them. O'Neill appeared to be either asleep  
or unconscious as they removed the carry poles from the stretcher and  
the blanket that he was riding on was left to become part of the  
bedding. 

Painted Face approached with the bowl in hand and some large leaves that  
looked like they came from a corn plant, long and wide. The greenish  
concoction was spread on the leaves and they were placed carefully over  
the burned, blackened flesh. "This will moisten the damaged area and it  
will come off as the injured area heals." The shaman told Daniel.  
"This wound will be very painful for at least two moons and the scar  
will be bad. This poultice will draw out the poison and keep it from  
becoming rotten." He looked up at his friend's face. "If your Shaman  
can come through the God's Mouth, maybe with your good medicine he will  
be able to do more."

Jackson nodded. "If we can get him through the God's Mouth safely, our  
Medicine woman can do much with her magic."

"I will ask the Great Spirit to help you in your journey." Painted Face  
replied. "This wound was made with the bad magic of the false ones. My  
medicine may not be strong enough."

"But we know that your thoughts and prayers are good. I am sure it will  
help until we can get him home." Daniel replied. "And your help now is  
very important."

Painted Face nodded. "I have also sent some men to look for Mountain  
Lion Woman. They think they know where she and the young warriors were  
at during the fighting." He looked down at Jack as he lay sleeping. "I  
know that your Chief will rest better if we can find her and bring her  
to him."

"That is so my friend." Daniel agreed. He knew Jack would worry about  
Sam until they found her and she was safe with them again. 

Daniel had settled down to keep Jack as comfortably as possible. He was  
trying to find an 'easy' way to sit down when Jack started to come awake  
again. He immediately went to his friend's side and knelt by him. He  
put his hand on Jack's forehead, feeling to see if there was any fever.  
The brown eyes opened, blinked a few times and recognition began to dawn  
in them. "Danny?"

"Hey there, you're awake at last." Jackson shifted his position to sit  
next to his friend.

Jack furrowed his brow in concentration. "Where 'm I?"

"The medicine lodge of Painted Face." Daniel told him quietly. "You  
were hurt right at the end of the fight."

"Yea... 'member." Jack shook his head. "Stupid move."

Daniel tried to lighten his mood. "Bad luck, Jack. He should have been  
buffalo dust by then."

Jack wasn't having any of it. "Shouldn 'ave turned m' back..."

Daniel smiled and shook his head at his friend. "Okay, I give in...it  
was your fault...just don't tire yourself out. Okay." 

Jack nodded and looked around the lodge. "Where's everybody?"

This was what Jackson had been dreading, giving Jack the news about Sam.  
"Teal'c went back through the Stargate to bring a med team to get you  
back safely. " He put his hand on O'Neill's arm. "Sam isn't here yet.  
Painted Face has the warriors out looking for her."

"e's missin?" Jack's voice rose weakly. "Dany, could be hurt...need  
to..."

"Jack, please stay calm." Jackson put some pressure on O'Neill's arm,  
holding him down. "The warriors are all out looking for her. They'll  
find her. There's nothing you can do right now...just don't hurt  
yourself any worse, okay."

O'Neill ceased his struggle to rise. "Danny..."

"Jack, we'll find her." He squeezed his friend's hand. "You know  
nothing gets past these guys. It'll be fine. I promise." 

Jack looked up at him. " ' know, just...."

Daniel released his grip on Jack's hand. "I know...just get some rest.  
I'll go see what I can find out." Jack nodded and closed his eyes. He  
knew that Daniel wouldn't let him or Sam down.

*******************

Several hours later Daniel Jackson stood up from the campfire where he  
was adding the local equivalent of Chamomile leaves to the hot water in  
a metal US issue pot. After a few seconds, he carried it into Painted  
Face's medicine lodge. 

On one side of the room, lying on a pallet, was Samantha Carter. He  
bent over her to check that she was resting peacefully. The warriors  
had brought her in an hour ago. She was asleep now, her injuries while  
serious were not life threatening. Daniel could tell that she had a  
broken arm, a nasty gash to the back of the head and a possible  
concussion. Sam also sported a number of cuts and abrasions to her face  
and any other exposed areas. . The Indian 'search' team that had been  
sent out by Painted Face had located her and the remainder of her group  
of teenaged warriors quickly. The youngsters had been carrying her back  
to the village when the older men had found them. The report from the  
teenagers was that she had been leading a very successful style of 'hit  
and run' tactics against a group of Jaffa when the buffalo herd came  
through the valley and swept the enemy away. An unlucky blast from a  
staff weapon of a panicked jackal-head had taken out a granite cliff  
face behind the group when they were climbing to avoid the stampede.  
She had been close to the point of explosion and had been hit by the  
flying rock shrapnel and fallen some fifteen or twenty feet. Painted  
Face had cleaned and treated her cuts and Daniel had splinted her arm,  
the medicine man, had watched and learned this new technique. They were  
both confidant that she would soon recover. Then the Shaman had given  
her something so that she would sleep. That was after Daniel had  
assured her that Jack would be all right and yes, Janet was coming. He  
was confident that she would soon regain her full health and mobility  
once she was safely moved back to the SGC.

Jack O'Neill was a different matter entirely. The older man lay on his  
injured side, leaving his 'good' lung up to help his breathing. Jack  
had been in and out of consciousness for the past few hours that they  
had been here. Daniel had stayed close to be certain he was here when  
Jack regained consciousness. He knew from experience that a staff  
weapon wound would be hideously painful and his friend would need all  
the support he could get. As he watched, O'Neill moved, groaning. 

"Jack" Daniel sat down cross-legged next to his friend. He laid a  
comforting hand on O'Neill's face. "Jack can you hear me?" The brown  
eyes opened and looked up at him in confusion. 

"Danny," He managed to gasp in a low voice. 

"Yea, Jack. It's me." The younger man carded his fingers through the  
graying hair, giving him the physical contact that he always craved when  
he was hurt.

"Carter?" The question had been asked earlier when Danny had no  
answers. Now he had a good one for his friend.

"They found her, Jack." He shifted his position to clear Jack's line of  
sight to the other side of the lodge. "She's hurt, but I don't think  
it's too bad." O'Neill managed a nod. "Looks like a concussion and a  
few other things, but she's basically intact."

"Teal'c?" 

"Gone back to get help, remember. I expect to hear from him soon."  
Daniel continued the stroking. "Relax, Jack. It's over. We won."

"Know that." Jack wheezed, trying to grin a his friend. "Damdesthing I  
ever saw." He tried to smile at his young friend. "Done good, Danny."

Daniel smiled down at him. "It sure was. I didn't know they had  
horses, Jack." He continued to speak in a light vein. "We got there  
and when I saw the Buffalo and the Horses, I knew I was all  
wrong...about them being Anasazi, I mean." O'Neill's eyes were  
beginning to shut again, his weakness dragging him down into  
unconsciousness. "Jack. Jack can you stay awake?" Jack opened his  
eyes to the fear in Daniel's voice. "Jack, stay with me, please."

O'Neill knew that Danny was afraid for him. But he was so tired...so  
very tired. "Won't leave you, Danny, jus need sleep."

Jackson pulled his Swiss Army knife out and used the spoon attachment to  
trickle a little of the tea between his friends dry lips to moisten his  
mouth, but not enough to drink. Then he dipped a cloth that he had torn  
from his extra t-shirt into the fragrant tea and gently wiped O'Neill's  
face. The older man was beginning to feel feverish as his body was  
attempting to defend itself against infection. The scent of the tea  
itself was relaxing and it was about all Daniel could think to do to  
help make him more comfortable. Jack nodded, no energy left to speak. 

*******************

When the God's Mouth spoke again, Two Spears and his braves who had  
remained behind to guard the gate came to battle ready positions. Then  
they saw it was Great Bear with more of his tribe. The Chief  
immediately approached the group as they stepped down from the pedestal. 

General Hammond looked to Teal'c when he saw the Indians approach. The  
SG1 member stepped forward to meet him. The Jaffa wished now that he  
had learned more of the other's formal language but the battle pidgin  
that they had developed would have to do. "Ho, Two Spears."

The Chief stepped up to Teal'c and addressed him in return with the  
mixture of English, Indian and sign language. "Ho, Great Bear. Your  
clansmen await you at the Medicine Lodge of Painted Face. Grey Wolf is  
very weak and Coyote fears for his life. But we have found Mountain  
Lion Woman, though she too is hurt and sleeps long."

Teal'c nodded his understanding. He indicated the group behind him.  
"These are our tribesmen. I bring our War chief and our Medicine Woman.  
He wished to council with Chief Grey Badger and she will heal our clan's  
people."

"This is good. We should hurry so that Grey Wolf is healed soon." He  
motioned one of the younger braves to run ahead to the village. "Grey  
Badger rests in his lodge. He will be pleased to meet Grey Wolf's Chief  
when he is rested." Two Spears spoke to his men and then turned and led  
the group towards the village.

On the trip Teal'c briefed General Hammond and the Doctor. "Once we get  
to the village, Danieljackson can interpret for you. I do not have a  
good command of their formal language. But I believe he said that they  
have located Majorcarter. She is injured and 'sleeps' but I am unsure  
how he means that."

"Well. At least they found her." Dr Fraiser was walking to one side of  
the General carrying her 'ER' bag. "What did he say about the Colonel's  
condition?"

"He said that he was very weak and Danieljackson is very worried." He  
looked down at the Doctor. "I can tell you that the wound is severe.  
The fact that he is still alive only means that O'Neill is fighting very  
hard. A lesser man would already have died."

When they finally arrived at the village, an Indian with a red Painted  
Face was standing waiting for them. He automatically picked the healer  
out of the crowd and called to his clan member, Great Bear. Teal'c  
indicated the man to Dr Fraiser. "He is the Shaman or medicine man of  
the tribe. He wants to lead you to O'Neill." 

General Hammond nodded to her. "Go on Doctor, we'll join you shortly."  
Fraiser called a member of her medical team and they broke away from the  
group to follow him into the village.

Teal'c nodded. "Two Spears says the old Chief Grey Badger is in his  
lodge. He is an elder man and was very tired after the battle. 

General Hammond nodded. "I understand completely. When does he think  
his chief can receive me?" 

The warrior looked to the Chief. Two Spears turned and spoke to an old  
woman who was about to enter the lodge. She replied quietly and went  
in. Two Spears said something to Teal'c and motioned the two men to  
follow him.

"Crow Woman said she would call us when Grey Badger is ready." Teal'c  
told the General as they followed the war chief into the village proper.  
"Two Spears has invited us to his 'fire circle' to eat after our long  
journey. Then if you like we will go and see O'Neill. You will need  
Danieljackson with you to speak with the chief. His words will be more  
precise than mine."

Hammond nodded. "This is quite impressive, Teal'c. I see what Dr.  
Jackson finds so compelling here."

The Warrior nodded. "Their culture is one I am not at all familiar  
with; one based on honor and freedom. I would like to teach my people  
such concepts, then maybe we also can be free of the Goa'uld."

*******************

Dr Fraiser and her medic followed the tribal shaman to a lodge near the  
center of the village. She was looking around at the people as they  
made their way through the narrow streets. The overall impression she  
received from the tribe's people was one of health and vigor. This was  
obviously a very viable culture. She hoped that whatever had happened  
during the battle that she had been told SG1 had participated in had not  
done anything to upset the natural balance of things here. Finally,  
they reached the adobe 'house' that was the medicine lodge. She ducked  
through the doorway past a blanket. Jack O'Neill was lying on a pallet  
opposite the doorway. Daniel was sitting on the ground next to him.  
Against another wall Samantha Carter was also lying stretched out and  
apparently asleep. 

Daniel immediately scrambled to his feet, or tried too. He appeared to  
be moving very slowly and with great stiffness in his limbs. He made it  
to her side and grasped the medical bag from her hands. "Thank God your  
here, Janet." Daniel pointed her over to Jack's side. She turned and  
waived the med tech who had followed her in over to Carter. 

"Teal'c said that the Colonel was hurt pretty badly by a staff weapon  
blast. What else can you tell me about his condition?" She immediately  
settled down to the business at hand, kneeling by O'Neill's side.

"He's been in and out of consciousness ever since his injury." Jackson  
replied. "He is having hard time breathing and has numbness to the  
injured side. Painted Face made a poultice of some herbs and some kind  
of succulent leaves."

Doctor Fraiser knelt down and put her hand on Jack's forehead, feeling  
for fever. "Colonel O'Neill, Jack. It's me Janet Fraiser, let me help  
you."

Jack turned his head to look at the doctor. "Doc?"

"Yes, Colonel. It's me." She put her stethoscope around her neck in  
readiness and started her examination. "How are you feeling?"

"Feeling kinda woozy, Doc." he had difficulty getting the words out.  
"Can't breath."

She stroked his brow. "I can see that. Let me look at your wound, so I  
can see what I need to do to get you fixed up, okay?"

"Kay." He tried to look back at Daniel who was kneeling behind him.

Jackson rested his hands gently on Jack's shoulders, holding him steady.  
"I got you, Jack. We're just going to roll you over, okay."

O'Neill nodded, understanding what they wanted to do and why. At  
Frazier's nod, Jackson slipped his hands under O'Neill's shoulders and  
with her supporting his torso gently lifted him over onto his front  
exposing the wound. She started the exam using her stethoscope to  
listen and her hands to gently palpate the chest area. 

Daniel could tell its severity by the expression on Frazier's face. She  
finally looked up at him. "It's a third degree burn and its location is  
bad. He's numb because his nerve ending are affected. His ribs are  
probably cracked, that's why he can't breath. Without a x-ray, I'm  
guessing but I'm getting good chest sounds. We need to get him back to  
the infirmary so I can start treatment as soon as possible in a sterile  
area." Jackson nodded. She replaced the poultice with a sterile,  
moist dressing, then protecting and sealing it with an airtight  
wrapping. Janet then indicated they should move O'Neill back to his  
original position. Once he was back and resting she put an oxygen  
cannula on him. "I'd rather be cautious until I can get some X-rays of  
the chest to be sure there's no further damage." She glanced over at  
her tech that was working on Carter. "What do you have, Jerry?"

The young man glanced up from where he was rewrapping Carter's splinted  
arm. "A closed fracture of the ulna, cuts and bruises and a probable  
concussion. She took a hard knock to the head. I'm concerned that  
she's not awake yet, but other than that, nothing life threatening."

"Painted Face gave her something to let her sleep." Daniel told them.  
"She was awake earlier."

Janet made a doctor-noise in her throat. Then she looked at Jackson.  
"Okay, Daniel. What's your story?" At his blank expression, she  
pressed. "Why are you limping?"

Jackson looked embarrassed. "Oh, that." He shook his head. "Nothing,"  
At her expression he continued. "I just rode a horse bareback for  
twenty miles in less than five hours." He laughed depreciatingly. "I'm  
just really sore and a little chaffed. Nothing to worry about, but I  
won't be real comfortable for a few days."

Fraiser had to smile at the look on his face. Then she reached into her  
bag and pulled out a tube of Desitin cream. "Use this, it'll help the  
skin irritation. The muscles will have to heal themselves. If you  
continue to be sore, come see me in a few days."

He took the cream gratefully. "Thanks."

She smiled at him. "I think the General is going to need you as an  
interpreter pretty soon. Why don't you go on over to the Chief's  
house."

"General Hammond's here?" He stood slowly and carefully, then looked  
down at Jack and Sam. Janet shooed him away. "I'm going to stay with  
them until we get ready to transport. It will be a little while though;  
I want them both stable before we go through the Stargate. Go on, go  
see the General."

Daniel smiled at her and walked stiffly to the doorway. As he ducked  
and walked outside, Janet thought she heard a groan. She smiled to  
herself and shook her head in wonder at their favorite Archeologist and  
his legendary luck. Good or bad, it was never indifferent. 

*******************

Chapter 8 

General George Hammond was having a wonderful time. He was sitting at a  
campfire or 'fire circle', as Teal'c said it was called, and talking to  
an honest to god real Indian Chief. Admittedly, the circumstances that  
brought him here were less than favorable. His first contact team,  
SG1had gotten into a scrape with the Goulds and he knew that at least  
three of them had sustained injuries. He hadn't see Dr. Jackson yet,  
but he found it hard to believe the boy had gotten by unscathed. Two  
Spears, as he was called, and he were having a conversation of sorts  
about village life. It was of sorts because Teal'c was serving as  
interpreter and the big man was the first to admit that his knowledge of  
the Indian language was less then perfect. The chief's wife had made  
them some delicious little corn cakes and they were drinking some kind  
of sweet tea while they talked. Dr. Frazier had disappeared into one of  
the adobe houses to treat his injured people and Hammond was waiting for  
her all clear to go and visit. After he saw his team for himself,  
George was then looking forward to meeting the old "Chief" of the tribe  
to discuss how the SGC could assist them in beefing up their defenses to  
keep the Gould from making anymore incursion attempts on this world.

Two Spears said something to them and then pointed across the village  
common ground. Dr. Daniel Jackson was walking slowly towards them,  
trying his best not to limp. George stood up and crossed the  
intervening ground to meet the SG1 team member. "Dr. Jackson, It's good  
to see you again. " He approached the young man and clasped his hand,  
looking the young man over carefully. "Are you all right, son?"

Daniel was genuinely happy to see General Hammond. "Yes, Sir. I'm  
fine, just a little sore from some unexpected horseback riding."

"Horses, Dr. Jackson?" The older man looked at him curiously. "I  
thought you had said that these people were Anasazi. They never had  
horses to the best of my recollection." 

"That's very true, sir. I'll have to explain that later." Daniel  
smiled a little embarrassed. "Would you like to see Jack and Sam? I'll  
take you to them." General Hammond stood up anxiously. 

"Is Dr. Fraiser through? Are they conscious?" 

"Sam's still asleep. Painted Face, the tribe's Shaman or Medicine Man  
gave her something for her pain and Janet didn't want to give her any  
other drugs. Jack's in and out." He glanced back over to the medicine  
lodge. "But I'm sure Janet won't mind our checking on them."

"Well, I was waiting to see Grey Badger. But evidently he's resting  
after the battle." Hammond replied.

"I'm not surprised." Daniel replied. "He's well over seventy years  
old. I'm a bit surprised he was in the battle at all." He turned to  
Two Spears. "When will Grey Badger awaken?"

The War Chief shrugged his shoulders. "Crow Woman will tell us. But he  
was very tired after the battle. It took much of his heart to see so  
many men die today." He shook his head. "I told him to stay in the  
village, but I needed to go to the Buffalo Men. He would not be  
persuaded otherwise."

"Yes, I know men like that." He looked at his General who had come  
through the Stargate to see that his people were all right.

Two Spears followed his gaze and smiled. "So I see."

"I'm going to take him to see Grey Wolf and Mountain Lion Woman."  
Daniel told the Chief who nodded in understanding. 

"I will come for you if Crow Woman calls."

"Thank you my friend." He turned to Hammond. "Two Spears will come and  
tell us when the Chief wakes up. I know you want to see Jack and Sam."

The two men walked back over to the Lodge. As they arrived, Dr. Fraiser  
came out looking for them. 

"How are they doing Doctor? Teal'c said Col O'Neill was pretty bad  
off."

"He is Sir." She answered him. "The Colonel took a staff weapon blast  
to the back but he's a tough one." 

Daniel glanced back at the door of the Medicine Lodge. "I thought he  
was dead when I first saw him." He shook his head. "He scared me  
good!"

Dr, Fraiser smiled at the young man "He's pretty badly injured, but the  
Medicine Man did all the right things. Once we get him stabilized and  
back to the base he should recover completely."

"And Major Carter?"

"She should be all right in a couple of weeks." She assured her senior  
officer. "She's got a fractured arm, some cuts and bruises and a bad  
bump on the head. " She looked up at Hammond. "Would you like to see  
them? We're finished with their exams and Colonel O'Neill is awake."  
She pushed the blanket/door to the side and the General and Daniel  
entered the cool dark interior.

The two men entered. General Hammond glanced at Carter but she appeared  
to be deeply asleep. Then he looked went over to O'Neill's pallet.  
"Jack, it's good to see you." He waited until O'Neill turned his head  
and focused on him. "You've got to quit doing these things. It's too  
much stress on an old man."

O'Neill was groggy and he was trying follow what Hammond was saying but  
was having some trouble with it. "I'm not that old..."

Hammond smiled down at his second in command. "Not you, Jack.  
Me...You'll give me gray hair."

"George, I uh don't know how to break it to you...but, it's too late."

Hammond shook his head, "Figuratively speaking of course."

Jack looked up at Daniel. "Daniel?"

His best friend squatted down next to where he lay. "Yea, Jack?"

"The General make a joke?"

"Yea, Jack. It's okay." He patted him on the shoulder and looked up at  
Hammond.

The General knelt next to Daniel and laid his hand on O'Neill's hand on  
top of the blanket. "You just rest easy son. We'll get you back to the  
base and Dr. Fraiser will have you right as rain in a short time."

Jack nodded up at Hammond. "Okay-dokey George." General Hammond looked  
over at the Doctor. She just shrugged her shoulders."

The senior officer moved over to where Carter lay asleep and looked down  
at her. Janet joined him. "You say she's got a concussion and a  
fractured arm?" 

"Yes General Hammond. She's actually in better shape that Colonel  
O'Neill. She's just really profoundly asleep." Fraiser pursed her  
lips. "I didn't want to give her anything on top of the herbal sedative  
that the tribal medicine man had already given her."

"Where is this 'medicine man'? I saw him briefly when I arrived but he  
seems to have made himself scarce."

Jackson came up behind them from Jack's bedside. "Actually General, he  
should be back here in a little while. He's got lots of other patients  
among his own people."

"Daniel," Janet said, looking up at him. "Please tell him I'd like to  
help. I've got three medics so anything we can do we'd be more than  
pleased to help."

"I'll go find him." Jackson nodded. "I'm sure he'll be glad for the  
assistance."

The three walked back to the fire circle. "Where's Painted Face and Two  
Spears?" Daniel asked one of the teenaged boys that were feeding the  
community fire.

"Painted Face is with the wounded over by the river." He was told.  
"Two Spears is gathering the big humps to take them back out to the  
prairie." As if on cue, there was a clattering outside the village  
proper and several shouts in the Indian language. "There he is now!"  
Jackson led the trio to the edge of the village lodges and they stood  
watching with awe as the huge herd of buffalo passed by. Two Spears was  
mounted on a gruella mare. Daniel could see Shefox mingled in with the  
herd of horses that were running with the herd. "Coyote, are you coming  
with us? I'm going to get the young men started. We've got to get the  
beasts back to their grasses and water."

Daniel looked at his 'Chief', then back to the horses. "No, I cannot  
go. My Chief, General Hammond needs me to talk to Grey Badger so that  
his words are true."

"It is good, Coyote. See that your words are wise and that they carry  
the truth with them so that our tribes can be as one." He put pressure  
on his horse with his legs and they galloped off, pushing the herd  
before them.

Daniel waved at him and called. "I will clan brother."

Next, after the buffalo herd, came the remuda of the multicolored Indian  
Ponies. As the horses went past, a red mare with white spots broke away  
and stopped several feet in front of Jackson and snorted at him as if in  
invitation. Daniel went up to her and gave her one of the cold  
corncakes from out of his fatigue jacket pocket. She nuzzled him as he  
spoke to her and stroked her finely shaped head. "Go on Shefox; go with  
your herd." She spun on her hocks, leaped forward, flagging her long  
red tail in the air and galloping to the front of the horse herd.

The elder man smiled at Jackson." A friend of yours, son?"

He turned back and smiled at the memory of that wild ride down the  
canyon. "Let's just say she took good care of me when I needed it."

"The good ones always do." General Hammond nodded and turned back to  
the log 'bench'. For the next thirty minutes, they could see the braves  
pushing the huge herd of buffalo past the village and out towards the  
prairie where they belonged. 

Painted Face came back to the campfire after a short while and Daniel  
told him of the Medicine Woman's offer. He immediately took Fraiser up  
her offer and the medical team went with him into the villages triage  
area.

Daniel had followed Hammond over and sat down gingerly on the log that  
was serving as a seat for the men. Two Spears wife came over and handed  
them both gourd cups of the sweet tea. Daniel thanked her and she  
replied to him. He had grinned back at her and indicated the log as  
being too hard. The attractive Indian woman laughed and went back to  
her lodge. General Hammond prompted Jackson back to an earlier  
conversation. "Now, what were you saying about the Anasazi, Dr.  
Jackson?"

He turned back to Hammond. "Well, yes General. That was my initial  
thoughts but since them I've had to revise my opinion quite a bit." He  
sipped some of the fragrant liquid. "My first impression was made when  
we first arrived, was that they were a peaceful, agricultural  
settlement. I've since learned that this 'village' is not their  
permanent home." He stopped and indicated the structures that  
surrounded them. "I've found out that this is a base camp of sorts.  
You see every 14 moons a new clan of the tribe rotates into this camp to  
guard the Stargate or, God's Mouth as the call it and the tribe that is  
here moves back to the prairie where they resume their nomadic  
hunter/gatherer life style. While they are based here, their horses and  
a lot of their equipment stay behind on the prairie land just outside  
the canyon with a small group of herdsmen. Evidently when they left  
Earth, they brought their buffalo and their horses with them through the  
Stargate or maybe even by Goa'uld Mother ship." He stopped and took  
another sip of tea, "This village must have been the initial settlement  
after they were transplanted here by the Goa'uld. Once they rebelled  
and won their freedom they resumed their way of life that they had left  
back on home. That's why the pyramid at the end of the village has no  
meaning to them. It was built by the false gods for them to worship  
them in. Now they worship the Great Spirit, whom they believe came with  
them in the form of their animals."

"Well, who are these people then if they're not the Anasazi?" Hammond  
leaned forward and watched the young Archeologist's face as he spoke.

His expression told of the young archeologist's excitement. "Well,  
their name for themselves is the people or 'Ko-man-tsi' ." Daniel  
looked up at the General and smiled. "Closest translation I can figure  
is Comanche."

"Then it's no wonder the Gould lost control of the situation here."  
Hammond remarked. "They were some of the greatest fighters the world  
has ever seen. They didn't know the meaning of the word surrender." He  
shook his head. "You know there's no such thing as a Comanche  
Reservation. They all died rather than surrender."

Daniel nodded. "I can believe that, but they're really wonderful  
people. They accepted us almost right away. Their senior Chief, Grey  
Badger, liked Jack almost immediately."

"Probably recognized a kindred spirit." The General commented about his  
team leader. "How did they finally drive the Gould off?"

"Teal'c can answer that a lot better than myself. I was with the  
buffalo herd." He and the General greeted the warrior's return to the  
campfire.

He nodded and sat down with them. His minor injuries had received  
medical attention and he would postpone his healing meditation until  
they returned to the security of Cheyenne Mountain. He continued where  
Danieljackson had left off. "The tribe had made extensive preparation  
for the invasion. They had 'stockpiled' a large amount of their  
traditional weaponry on the canyon walls. Large stones, bags of  
flammable crude oil, grenades, flint headed spears with bow and arrows.  
We had also put our firepower of rifles, pistols, zat guns and staff  
weapons with them. When the attack commenced and these weapons were  
used up, O'Neill proceeded to show the Indians how to take the weapons  
of the fallen Jaffa and turn them on their enemies. Once they learned  
how to operate them, the Indians used them to great advantage." He  
paused for a moment as Two Spears wife, Golden Feather, came to the fire  
circle and offered them more tea to drink. Teal'c continued with his  
report. "We three had divided to spread our firepower throughout the  
Indian army. Colonel O'Neill stayed with the young adult warriors.  
Major Carter was with the younger warriors. They were farther down the  
canyon protecting the passage into the village. I had aligned myself  
with the older men who had been throwing down the boulders. O'Neill's  
group and then my own descended onto the canyon floor to retrieve the  
Goa'uld weapons. Then, the buffalo herd was stampeded into the battle  
effectively ending the hostilities. That is when O'Neill injured. That  
was also when we noted Major Carter's absence. Danieljackson and I  
decided to separate and I went back to get O'Neill medical assistance.  
He remained here to care for O'Neill and search for Majorcarter."

Daniel picked up the tale. "When we got Jack back to the village and  
Sam and her young men hadn't shown up yet Painted Face had a runner to  
go to the village and send out a search party for her. I stayed here to  
help with Jack. Of course by the time we got him back to the village,  
the best hunters had left to search and within an hour or so, they had  
found her and the group of young warriors. They were bringing her back  
to the camp where she received medical treatment." Daniel looked over  
his shoulder at the lodge where the SG1 teammates lay. "Speaking of  
which, I'm going to check on them." Hammond nodded to him and the  
younger man walked, slower than usual, up the hill. General Hammond and  
Teal'c nodded and continued their conversation about the results of the  
battle and Teal'cs recommendations for assisting the Indians in the  
future

Jackson entered the medicine lodge. O'Neill was having a conversation  
of sorts with Carter. She was awake and wanting news. Jack was trying  
to make sense for her through the sedatives that Fraiser had given him.  
"Well, it looks like you're both feeling better." He slowly eased  
himself down onto the dirt floor between them. 

"Where's everybody?" Carter asked from her pallet. 

"Well, Janet brought some extra medics to assist with the village's  
wounded. She's over getting them started. I'm sure she'll be back  
soon." He looked over at Jack. "You know she wouldn't neglect her  
favorite patients. The General and Teal'c are at the fire circle."

"So that was General Hammond who was in here." Jack asked in a puzzled  
voice. "I was pretty out of it when he came in. Did I say anything  
stupid?" 

"Yes it was and no, you didn't. He came back with Teal'c to see how  
you were doing and to talk to Grey Badger." Daniel shook his head.  
"But Grey Badger is resting. Two Spears sent him back to the village  
right after we got there. It really took a lot out of the old man and  
the chief was worried about him. Then we found you injured and Sam  
missing." He looked over at her. "Do you remember anything?" 

"Just the whole canyon wall came down on me; I lost consciousness right  
about then."

"Well, the young men were bringing you home when the search party found  
you." He reached over and patted her good arm. "You got them all  
through it, Sam. Not a boy, er, young warrior was killed or seriously  
hurt, and they're giving you all the credit."

She smiled to herself. "They were good. Did everything I told them to  
do." 

"And believe me the tribe is grateful to you to for it. They took some  
pretty heavy hits in the main battle. Then Jack rewrote their battle  
plan and started showing them Goa'uld weapons could be fired by Indian  
warriors."

Jack grinned up at him. "And Danny brought the Calvary. "The Duke  
would have been proud. I sure was. That's when I needed the video."

"I saw him; them go by before the world fell on me." Sam spoke up.  
"Daniel, you're a man of many unexpected talents."

"Well, when you can't afford a jeep on a dig in Egypt, you can get a  
horse a lot cheaper." He rubbed his lower back. "But I hadn't had to  
ride bareback in...since I was a kid anyway."

They were interrupted by a little girl's voice outside the lodge calling  
for Painted Face. Daniel rose and went to speak to her. "What's wrong,  
little one?" He recognized Painted Face's eldest Daughter, the eight-  
year-old.

"Elk Cow has sent me to find Painted Face. Moon Woman had come to her  
time and is having much pain. Where is my father?"

"He is with the injured warriors, do you know where the place is?"  
Daniel replied. He was surprised at this development. He knew that  
normally men didn't attend the birth of children. She must be having a  
lot of difficulty. At the little girl's nod he continued. "Where are  
they now?"

"They are at Moon Woman's lodge. "She wanted to go out of the village  
but Grey Badger forbade it."

"Wait here, I will go with you to the lodge then you can go and get  
Painted Face."

Daniel went back into the Hogan. "Jack, I'm going to help Moon Woman.  
She is having a difficult birth. If Painted Face or Janet show up send  
them to her lodge there by Grey Badger's. Okay."

Jack nodded as Daniel raided the pack that Janet had brought with her.  
He took some surgical gloves, and other things he thought might be  
useful. He flashed them a nervous grin and took off out the door.

Sam just shook her head in amazement as they watched the young man  
leave. Jack raised and eyebrow. "Like you said Carter, a man of many  
unexpected talents."

When Daniel entered the lodge, Elk Cow, Painted Face's wife, greeted  
him nervously. She knew her husband had told her this man was a  
powerful Shaman but she didn't know him. But when Daniel stepped in he  
appeared to know what he was doing.

Daniel's mind was racing. The last time he had done this was when  
Sha'uri had given birth to Apophis' child. It had been a normal birth;  
this one obviously was not. The women normally went out into the  
surrounding countryside and gave birth by themselves with no assistance  
at all. But this was the first baby for her, so it just might be taking  
its time getting here. He started a gentle exam but the baby didn't  
feel like it was in a normal position. A breech birth was not something  
he had dealt with before although he had watched one on Abydos when the  
midwife was teaching her skills to him in his hopes to deliver his own  
children with his wife, a dream that never happened. But here he was  
and he'd do his best for the kind young woman. Luckily she was a big  
girl and was well dilated so that he could actually reach and manipulate  
the baby without any surgical intervention. It took him what seemed  
like a long time but finally he was able to find a foot and straighten  
it out into the canal. Another few minutes and he located the other  
one. He started a slow gently tug on the baby and instructed her to try  
to push again. Elk Cow was at her friend's shoulders and was supporting  
her head, also encouraging her in her efforts.

Once he got the baby in a better position, things went a little  
smoother. It was a breech birth but it continued in a timely fashion  
and within the hour he was holding a healthy looking baby boy. He  
showed it to the mother and her able assistant then laid it on Buffalo  
Woman's belly and stood back to view his handiwork. 

"Well, that went pretty well." Janet Fraser's voice startled him from  
his reverie.

He turned to look at her and saw both Painted Face and the Doctor  
standing in the doorway. "Daniel, you're amazing. If you ever get  
tired of finding artifacts and getting shot at, you can work with me  
anytime." She came over to his side and hugged him.

Painted Face was staring amazedly at him then the baby. "What did you  
do, Coyote? I have never seen such a thing before."

Daniel shrugged. "Nothing really, the baby was turned so that it's feet  
were first instead of his head. I just got him in the right position  
and pulled. They did the rest themselves." He turned and looked fondly  
at mother and child. Elk Cow was taking over cleaning the baby with  
warm water and cutting the cord. He looked at his friend questioningly.  
"Why, what would you have done?"

"All I know, Coyote, is to ease the mother's pain. If the birth could  
not happen, she and the child would die." He shook his head. "Your  
medicine is very powerful indeed."

"Well, my brother, I think we can teach you this medicine so that need  
not happen so often."

The Shaman nodded is head, still amazed at what he had witnessed. "You  
speak truly. This is as powerful as your fighting skills, but much  
happier. I think that Grey Badger and your Chief will have much good to  
talk about."

*******************

When they returned to the fire circle, leaving mother and child in the  
capable hands of Elk Cow. Grey Badger was awake and sitting on the log  
next to Hammond and Teal'c. When they saw the three 'Shamen'  
approaching, the old chief got to his feet. "How is Buffalo Woman? Is  
it well with her?'

Painted Face nodded to his Chief. "Great Chief, Wise Coyote is indeed  
well named. When I heard of the difficulty of your second wife, I  
feared for her and the child. But I arrived to see our brother holding  
the babe, a boy child, in his hands. He is a great Medicine Man and  
Doc'tor Fraiser spoke to me and told me of the magic. She too is a  
powerful healer. We should hold them in our hearts forever for their  
great gifts to the tribe on this day."

The Old Chief nodded. "It is good." He looked at Daniel. "Thank you,  
Wise Coyote, for you great magic. There will be much feasting in the  
camp tonight for your great journey with the big humps to the God's  
Mouth and for the joy you bring to an old man's eyes." He looked at  
Teal'c. "Great Bear is shy of his gifts, though he has done well. But  
we must say the good words; your Chief and I so I ask one more thing of  
you though you have labored hard for my tribe today."

"I am honored by your trust." Daniel replied and sat down next to the  
General to finish the interpretation for the two Chiefs of two Nations.

*******************

Later that evening, after the peace pipe had been passed around to the  
three Chiefs and the three Shamen and much 'good talk' had been  
accomplished. The SGC teams prepared to return through the God's Mouth  
to their homeland. Doctor Fraiser wanted to get O'Neill and Carter back  
to more 'sterile' conditions where their treatment could be continued.  
And of course, General Hammond needed to return to his 'tribe'. But  
plans had already been made for a return trip by both SG1 and Fraiser's  
Medical Team to further assist, teach and learn from Painted Face.  
Janet was thrilled to have a true practitioner of Herbal and Holistic  
medicine to learn from and of course to teach him some of the more  
modern treatments.

As they loaded O'Neill and Carter on the blanket stretchers, Carter was  
insisting that she could walk out and Jack was complaining about missing  
the feast he could smell cooking. Two Spears assured him that when he  
returned that he would take Chief Grey Wolf, Wise Coyote and Great Bear  
on a Buffalo hunt and they would feast for a week. That mollified the  
Colonel somewhat and when Janet gave him a light sedative to travel he  
relaxed into a doze. Then Janet told Sam that she was acting like a  
certain Colonel that they both knew well, the young woman quieted down  
and suffered the experience of being carried bodily by four young,  
strong Indian braves who were grateful for her part in the Great Battle  
and smiled down at her a lot. 

Led by General Hammond, Teal'c and Daniel Jackson the small party left  
the village by foot on their journey to the God's Mouth in the  
Comanche's Canyon of the Winds. Grey Badger, Two Spears, Painted Face  
and the rest of the tribe that had befriended them watched from the  
walls of the Canyon as they traveled out of sight. They knew that the  
Great Medicine of Chief Grey Wolf, Wise Coyote, Great Bear and Mountain  
Lion Woman would ultimately change their lives, but for the better to  
keep them safe from the False Gods. And in return, Colonel Jack  
O'Neill, Doctor Daniel Jackson, Major Samantha Carter and the Warrior  
Teal'c knew that they had not only found friends but clansmen who would  
continue to enrich their lives every time they chose to return to the  
Spirit Trail of the Comanche.

"Hey Carter."

"Yes, sir?"

"Did you get those pictures that I asked you too?"

"Yes, sir. They should be worth some credit in the Medical Section's  
betting pool."

"Good, I'm down money on the last two hockey games."

"Jack what pictures are those?"

"Don't worry about it Danny."

"O'Neill, are those pictures the ones I saw Majorcarter taking of  
Danieljackson when he was attired in the loincloth."

"Jack!"

"Daniel."

"Sam!"

"Don't worry about it, Danny."

"I got some good ones, sir."

"Sam?"

"Don't worry, Daniel. I got your good side."

"Arrrghh!"

 

THE END?


End file.
